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BRICS Delhi Meeting Explained
New Delhi: India on Thursday began hosting a crucial meeting of foreign ministers from BRICS nations in New Delhi, setting the stage for the 18th BRICS Summit scheduled to take place in September this year. The two-day meeting comes at a time of growing geopolitical shifts and coincides with US President Donald Trump’s high-profile visit to Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The gathering is expected to focus on strengthening economic cooperation, improving coordination on global issues and expanding the voice of developing nations in international decision-making platforms.
BRICS is a group of major emerging economies that works to promote cooperation on economic, political and security matters. The bloc was originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with the first meeting of foreign ministers taking place in 2006. The first leaders’ summit followed in 2009.
The group officially became BRICS after South Africa joined in 2010. Over the years, the organisation has increasingly positioned itself as a platform representing the interests of the Global South and advocating reforms in institutions traditionally influenced by Western powers.
The bloc expanded significantly in recent years. In 2023, invitations for membership were extended to Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. While Saudi Arabia has not yet formally completed the process, the other nations have joined the grouping.
Argentina was also invited to become a member but declined after President Javier Milei signalled stronger alignment with Western countries during his election campaign.
Indonesia officially joined BRICS in January 2025 after receiving approval during the Johannesburg summit held in 2023.
This week’s foreign ministers’ meeting is being seen as an important diplomatic exercise before the main summit later this year. India, which is hosting the annual BRICS summit this time, is expected to push discussions on trade cooperation, global governance reforms, development financing and coordination on major international conflicts.
The meeting also reflects the growing significance of BRICS at a time when several countries are seeking alternatives to Western-dominated institutions and financial systems.
