The three-day summit held in Johannesburg, the BRICS group of nations engaged in discussions centered on the expansion of the bloc, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This topic, which involved inviting six new countries to join the coalition dedicated to advocacy for the "Global South," took precedence on the agenda.

Reports highlighted underlying divisions among the leaders regarding the extent and speed of this expansion, while unanimous public support for broadening the existing five-member BRICS alliance was evident among its members.

As the current chair of the BRICS grouping, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa announced that Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have received invitations to become part of BRICS in its initial expansion phase. These new members are set to officially join the group starting from January 1, 2023.

“As a five BRICS countries, we have reached an agreement on the guiding principles, standards, criteria, and procedures on the BRICS expansion process which has been in discussion for quite a while,” Ramaphosa told a joint media briefing.

“We have consensus on the first phase of this expansion process and other phases will follow.”

Around twenty countries have officially submitted applications for membership in the bloc, which collectively represents a quarter of the global economy and encompasses over three billion individuals.

All six newly admitted countries, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, have endorsed participation in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a move India has not embraced. The impetus for this expansion was primarily fueled by China, with support from South Africa and Russia, the latter seeking to counterbalance its diplomatic isolation due to the Ukraine conflict.

During the summit's conclusion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Ramaphosa on its success and affirmed India's unwavering support for BRICS membership expansion.

"India has always believed that the addition of new members will further strengthen BRICS as an organisation and it will give our shared efforts a new impetus. This will also strengthen the belief of many countries in the multipolar world order," PM Modi said.

Prime Minister Modi conveyed his assurance that the inclusion of the new members will inject fresh dynamism and vitality into the collaboration within BRICS. He emphasized India's longstanding and profound ties with the new BRICS entrants, highlighting the potential for enriching bilateral cooperation with additional dimensions.

“The expansion and modernisation of BRICS is a message that all institutions in the world need to mould themselves according to changing times. This is an initiative that can be an example of reforms in other global institutions that were established in the 20th century,” the prime minister said.

Describing it as a significant occasion, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed welcomed the invitation extended by the BRICS consortium to Ethiopia, expressing the nation's willingness to collaborate in fostering an equitable and thriving global framework.

A senior advisor to Iran's president celebrated the forthcoming inclusion of the Islamic Republic in the BRICS alliance as a diplomatic achievement for Iran.

"Permanent membership in the group of global emerging economies is considered a historic development and a strategic success for the foreign policy of the Islamic republic," Mohammad Jamshidi wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Image source: India News