In a major development from the ongoing 15th BRICS Summit in South Africa, the BRICS members have agreed to invite Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates into the grouping. The new invitees are set to become full members of BRICS on January 1, 2024. Media reports suggest that around two dozen countries have shown interest in joining the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) grouping.
The South African President made the announcement and said, “We have consensus on the first phase of the expansion process. We have decided to invite the Argentine Republic, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to become full members of BRICS from January 1, 2024.”
Stating India’s position on the expansion, PM Modi said, “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.”
While congratulating the upcoming new members, PM Modi said, “India has a strong and historic relationship with these countries. With the help of BRICS, the bilateral relations between India and these countries will further reach new heights.”
“The expansion of BRICS will inject new vitality into the group’s cooperation mechanism,” said Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The announcement will further pave the way for other countries to become full members of the group. It is pertinent to note that this announcement will have a profound impact on geopolitics as BRICS can evolve as a counterweight to the forces challenging its relevance. Earlier, PM Modi urged the BRICS members to send a global message of unity, not polarisation.