BRICS basics and India states a desire for ‘change’ (you can believe in)

This is a short update on the size of BRICS as a bloc plus a little about India having a shower with half of an Obama like statement.

Member Countries

The BRICS is currently composed of eleven countries:

Five original members
– Brasil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa
– six new members admitted in 2024-25 – Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The group was originally composed of Brasil, Russia, India, and China in 2006; South Africa adhered in 2011; the new expansion, effective as of 2024, derived from the Johannesburg Declaration, from August 2023.

Partner Countries

According to the mandate agreed upon through the Johannesburg Declaration, the leaders approved the creation of the BRICS partner country category during the Kazan Summit in 2024. The BRICS partner countries are:

Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.

In its capacity as pro tempore BRICS Chair, the Government of Brazil announced the formal admission of Vietnam as a partner country of the group.

BRICS “Outreach” & BRICS “Plus”

Other modalities of participation in BRICS meetings include the “BRICS Outreach”, launched by South Africa in 2013, and the “BRICS Plus”, launched by China in 2017.

“BRICS Outreach” is a meeting between BRICS member countries and those from the geographic region of the country currently holding the rotating presidency who have been invited to such meeting.

“BRICS Plus” is a meeting between BRICS member countries and invited countries that are not from the geographic region of the country currently holding the BRICS rotating presidency.

BRICS GDP

40% of world economy

The G7 stands at 28% last year and this is projected to remain the same for 2005.

The difference in average GDP is even greater – the G7 had an average of 1.7% in 2024 and a projection of 1.2% this year – while the BRICS had an average of 4% and 3.4% respectively – according to the IMF.

Population

The numbers vary somewhat here according to different sources. The most reliable is that BRICS countries represent +40% of world population.

Relevance

These numbers testify to the relevance of BRICS at least on the high level economics. We are now looking toward a relevance in the political sphere and a real demonstration of principles of multipolarity and multilateralism in relationships.

At the Foreign Minister’s Meeting in April, the values were stated:

Relations of BRICS Member Countries in terms of what needs to happen now:

Strengthening the framework of BRICS Strategic Partnership under the three pillars of cooperation :

– policy and security,
– economy and finance, and
– cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

The BRICS spirit was described as featuring:

– mutual respect and understanding,
– equality,
– solidarity,
– openness,
– inclusiveness, and
– consensus.

So with those basics and values stated, we need to look at India who, suddenly found their ‘media on’ button, after saying very little so far this year. It seems as if India wants to in a sense redeem themselves in the eyes of the world, after kicking off a short war against their neighbors.

It is unfortunate that they chose another slogan, which is half of an old Obama slogan. Remember that one? Change you can believe in. Modi says today that: “As a founding member, India is committed to BRICS as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies,” Modi said. “Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic and balanced multipolar world order.” (Do you see any of the values in the BRICS spirit stated here?)

With attending the BRICS summit, he is on a 5 country visit. ”I am confident that my visits to the five countries will reinforce our bonds [and] friendship across the Global South, strengthen our partnerships on both sides of the Atlantic, and deepen engagements in the multilateral platforms such as BRICS, the African Union, ECOWAS and the CARICOM,” Modi said. Those of us that follow the ongoing Africa thread in the Hearty Salon know that ECOWAS is WASHED UP and the Sahel States will not deal with them as they are a bastion of maintaining old colonialist ties.

With the border issue between India and China (announced at the BRICS Kazan Summit as solved with great fanfare) clearly still not solved, Chinese netizens accuse India of holding fast to old colonial borders that the Brits set at the time. And if one reads up on it, it certainly seems the case. That is however a post for another day.

Mr Jaishankar in the run-up to attending the G7 in Canada said that there are rising voices in the BRICS+ nations condemning the unfairness of global affairs. There was another profound statement that I do not believe was at all coordinated with BRICS. Modi is one of the invitees at the G7, representing the Global South, stated Jaishankar. That Modi set up as representative of the Global South at the G7 came as news to me. Jaishanker continued to state that the Global South feels strong desire for change in the world order. It is then that my mind ‘devilishly’ completed this desire for change into ‘Chance you can believe in’, with Indian characteristics. Honestly, if India is invited and given a choice to leave BRICS and join the G7, I will put my money on India joining the G7.