Indonesia has officially joined the BRICS group of major emerging economies, Brazil’s government announced on Monday.
BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, along with recently added members Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous nation and Southeast Asia’s largest economy, becomes the 10th full member of BRICS.
The decision to include Indonesia was reached by consensus during the 2023 BRICS summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa. However, Indonesia postponed its formal accession until after the conclusion of its presidential election in October 2024. The new administration, led by President Prabowo Subianto, prioritized the country’s entry into the bloc.
“Indonesia shares with the other members of the group support for the reform of global governance institutions and contributes positively to the deepening of cooperation in the Global South,” said Brazil, which holds the BRICS presidency for 2025
Founded in 2009, BRICS originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2010.
Recent years have seen significant expansion, with new members Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE joining in 2024. Saudi Arabia has been invited to join, while Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have submitted formal applications.
With Indonesia’s inclusion, the bloc now represents a combined 46% of the world’s population and 35% of global GDP.
The alliance was seen as a counterweight to the G7, a group of developed economies consisting of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan.
At the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024, member states discussed measures to strengthen local currencies and reduce reliance on the US dollar in international trade. These efforts drew criticism from US President-elect Donald Trump, who threatened “100 percent tariffs” on BRICS nations.
The next summit, scheduled for July 2025 in Rio de Janeiro, will further address economic cooperation, the integration of new members, and strategies for boosting the ‘global south’ bloc’s global influence.
(with inputs)
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