During Russia’s 2024 chairmanship of BRICS, four member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations were offered partnership status in lieu of direct entry. Whereas Vietnam remains in “wait-and-see” mode,

The BRICS group of emerging-market powers — the acronym stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — has gone from a slogan dreamed up at an investment bank two decades ago to a real-world club that controls a multilateral lender.

New member Indonesia should also not “surrender to arrogant expressions" made by countries outside BRICS, a Russian diplomat says.

Russia will facilitate Vietnam’s participation in the BRICS bloc of developing economies as a “partner country.”

South Africa confirmed plans to conduct joint naval drills with BRICS associates navies, Russia and China off its coast this month, from 17/27 February, next to the first anniversary of Russia’s ...

President Prabowo Subianto’s about-turn on membership of the economic grouping is about status rather than material gains.

In 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that the ruble and Chinese yuan already made up 80 percent of Moscow’s transactions with China. The Kremlin also claimed that about 90 percent of India-Russia trade already took place using local or alternate currencies.

Despite expressing earlier reluctance to join the economic bloc, Indonesia has become the first Southeast Asian country to become a permanent member, surpassing Malaysia and Thailand, which have shown similar interests.

Brazil takes the helm at a moment when diplomatic pragmatism should take precedence over some of the bloc’s more polarizing initiatives.

Nigeria, in a loose arrangement, joins the influential bloc with opportunities in trade, investment and agriculture

Collaborative, flexible Brics gives leading members China and Russia a significant advantage over the increasingly defensive and restrictive West.