The world is changing fast. BRICS is now a strong group that wants to change how global power works. It started with a few countries and grew into a group of ten nations from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. BRICS in 2025 shows a clear goal: to give more power to the Global South and to balance the control of Western countries. But can this bigger group stay united?
What is BRICS
BRICS is a group of countries that work together. At first, it was Brazil, Russia, India, and China. This made the name BRIC. In 2010, South Africa joined, and it became BRICS. In 2024 and 2025, five more countries joined: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, and Indonesia. Now, the group has ten members and is sometimes called “BRICS+.”
Origins and Evolution
The term “BRIC” was first used in 2001 by Jim O’Neill, an economist from Goldman Sachs. The first BRICS meeting happened in 2009 in Yekaterinburg. South Africa became a member in 2010. The new members joined in 2024 and 2025: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, and Indonesia. These countries wanted to be part of the group because they feel left out by Western powers.
BRICS Membership Timeline
Founding Members (2009): Brazil, Russia, India, China Joined in 2010: South Africa Expanded in 2024–2025: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, Indonesia This bigger group shows that many countries want to work together and not rely too much on the West.
Structure and Function
BRICS does not have one main office or a formal rulebook. All members must agree on decisions—this is called consensus. Each year, a different country leads the group. In 2025, Brazil is the host for the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Core Areas of Focus
- Talking about politics
- Working together in business
- Changing how global groups work
- Helping with green development
- Making money and banking easy for all
Economic Infrastructure and Initiatives
New Development Bank (NDB)
The NDB was made in 2014. Its main office is in Shanghai, China. It has $100 billion to use for projects. Other offices are in Johannesburg, São Paulo, Ahmedabad, and Moscow. All countries have equal voting rights, no matter how rich they are.
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Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA)
This is an emergency money pool of $100 billion. It helps countries when they need cash fast. China gives the most—41% of the total. It also helps keep their currencies stable.
BRICS Pay
BRICS Pay started in 2018. It is a digital payment system. It lets people pay across borders using local money, not U.S. dollars. It helps reduce use of SWIFT and supports de-dollarization.
Geopolitical Vision
Reforming Global Governance
BRICS countries want a bigger voice in big global groups like:
- United Nations Security Council
- International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- World Bank
Multipolarity and South-South Cooperation
The group wants a world where power is shared. They don’t want only the West (like G7 or NATO) to lead. They want to connect Africa, Asia, and Latin America better.
Challenges and Frictions
Internal Divides
Not all members are the same. Some are democracies (like India and Brazil), and others are more authoritarian (like China, Russia, and Iran). They often want different things, so it’s hard to agree.
Leadership Gaps
In 2025, China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin did not attend the summit in Brazil. This made people wonder if the group is truly united.
Economic Disparities
India and China are doing well. But countries like Russia, Brazil, and South Africa are facing economic problems. This creates an imbalance inside the group.
Conclusion
BRICS started as just an idea from an economist. Now, it is a real and powerful group of countries. In 2025, with more members, BRICS wants to challenge Western power and bring fairness to the world. Its banks and digital tools show that it wants financial freedom. Still, the group has problems. They need to fix their political differences, stay united, and lead with strength. In today’s world, having many strong voices is important—and BRICS gives hope to the Global South.