World’s 4th most populous country 'Indonesia' joins BRICS

Indonesia has become a full-fledged member of the BRICS group of the emerging economies, current rotating chair country Brazil has announced.

News ID: 2000585

EghtesadOnline: 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, RT reported.

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.

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, the report added. / Mehr