World’s fourth most populous country joins BRICS
Indonesia has formally joined BRICS as a full member, Brazil, which currently holds the group’s rotating presidency, announced on Monday.
BRICS was founded in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining two years later. Although the group was originally envisioned as a platform for mutual investment and ensuing financial stability, it later evolved into a forum with a broader agenda, including security matters.
Indonesia’s candidacy was endorsed by BRICS leaders back in 2023, but the world’s fourth-most populous nation of over 270 million opted to join the group only after the formation of its new government last year.
“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,” the Brazilian government said in a statement.
“With the largest population and economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia shares with other members a commitment to reforming global governance institutions and contributes positively to deepening South-South cooperation,” it added.
Last year, the group was expanded to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates as full-fledged members. Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Cuba, Uganda, Malaysia, and Uzbekistan have been named among those expected to officially become BRICS partner states this year.
More than two dozen other countries have also shown an interest in cooperating with BRICS, according to senior Russian officials. Moscow held the group’s rotating presidency in 2024.
