Derek Grossman
At the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6 and 7, the group’s leaders will celebrate a significant expansion of their organization. Since 2024, the core BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) have been joined by Egypt,
Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, bolstering the group’s status as a club of major emerging economies. Together, they now account for nearly 40 percent of global GDP by purchasing power, compared to just 30 percent for the Group of Seven (G-7) nations.
Curiously, Southeast Asian economies have been noticeably absent from BRICS activities for the vast majority of the bloc’s existence. The region’s largest economy, Indonesia, only joined in January. Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam recently decided to participate as partner nations, which could be a first step toward membership. The trend clearly demonstrates rising interest among Southeast Asian states in becoming enmeshed in this multilateral organization. What has changed?
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