Rio de Janeiro, July 7, 2025 — In a historic development at the 17th BRICS Summit held in Brazil, the Republic of Indonesia has been officially welcomed as the newest full member of BRICS. Additionally, the summit saw the induction of 10 new partner countries—Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Malaysia, Thailand, Cuba, Vietnam, Uganda, and Uzbekistan—marking a significant expansion in the group's outreach and influence on the global stage.

This expansion signals BRICS' growing ambition to evolve into a truly multipolar, inclusive global alliance, representing the emerging economies of the Global South and advancing reforms in key multilateral institutions.

Indonesia's Inclusion: A Strategic Move

Indonesia, the world’s fourth-most populous nation and a key player in Southeast Asia, brings immense strategic value to BRICS, both economically and geopolitically. As part of the 2025 expansion, Indonesia becomes the fifth country to join BRICS since its original formation, following South Africa (2011) and Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE (2024).

The joint declaration issued at the Rio Summit stated:

“We welcome the Republic of Indonesia as a BRICS member, as well as the Republic of Belarus, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Cuba, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Malaysia, the Kingdom of Thailand, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Republic of Uganda, and the Republic of Uzbekistan as BRICS partner countries.”

Key Highlights from the 17th BRICS Summit

Alongside expansion, the summit also showcased major joint policy declarations, including:

• The BRICS Leaders' Framework Declaration on Climate Finance,

• The BRICS Leaders' Statement on Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence, and

• The launch of the BRICS Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases.

These initiatives reflect BRICS' transition from a financial-economic bloc to a comprehensive platform for global policy coordination in climate, technology, health, and multilateral governance.

PM Modi’s Powerful Call for Global Reforms

In his address during the 'Peace and Security and Reform of Global Governance' session, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the need for urgent reforms in international institutions, stating:

“The expansion of BRICS and the inclusion of new partners reflect its ability to evolve with the times. Now, we must demonstrate the same determination to reform institutions like the UN Security Council, the WTO, and Multilateral Development Banks.”

“In the age of AI, where technology evolves every week, it’s unacceptable for global institutions to go eighty years without reform. You can’t run 21st-century software on 20th-century typewriters.”

PM Modi’s comments echoed long-standing concerns of the Global South regarding outdated global governance frameworks, many of which fail to reflect present-day geopolitical and technological realities.

BRICS: Timeline of Evolution

Here’s a comprehensive timeline tracing BRICS’ journey:

• 2006: BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) formalised during Foreign Ministers’ meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

• 2009: First BRIC Summit held in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

• 2010: Decision made to invite South Africa during BRIC Foreign Ministers' meet.

• 2011: South Africa attends third BRICS Summit in Sanya, officially expanding BRIC to BRICS.

• 2024: Major expansion brings in Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE as full members, with effective inclusion from January 1, 2024.

• 2025: Indonesia becomes a full member, while 10 nations are inducted as BRICS partner countries.

Significance of BRICS Partner Countries

The inclusion of 10 partner countries underlines BRICS’ flexible engagement framework, where not all countries are required to be full members to participate in strategic initiatives. This partner status enables policy coordination, development cooperation, and multilateral support, without the need for full accession.

Countries like Nigeria and Vietnam, which are regional economic leaders, are seen as potential future members, while the inclusion of nations such as Belarus and Uzbekistan strengthens BRICS’ reach into Eurasia and Central Asia.

BRICS in the Age of AI and Climate Finance

Two of the most significant declarations at this summit were:

• The BRICS Leaders' Framework on Climate Finance, which seeks to establish a collaborative approach to green energy funding, addressing the financial gaps in climate commitments.

• The Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence Statement, which aims to create ethical AI regulations, capacity sharing, and standards that include voices from the Global South, pushing back against unilateral Western tech dominance.

These steps mark BRICS’ effort to move beyond economic alignment into policy-setting domains that define 21st-century global power.

Conclusion: The Road Ahead for BRICS

With the inclusion of Indonesia and the addition of 10 strategic partners, BRICS has evolved into a robust geopolitical and economic coalition representing the aspirations of the emerging and developing world.

The Rio Summit 2025 has redefined the scope, vision, and structure of BRICS, transforming it from a narrow financial grouping into a platform for inclusive global governance reform.

As PM Modi rightly stated, “It is time the world updates its systems to reflect new realities.” With ongoing global power shifts, rising regionalism, and AI-driven transformation, BRICS appears ready to lead from the front in shaping the future of multilateralism.

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