INDONESIA: Indonesia has officially joined the BRICS bloc of developing economies, Brazil announced on Monday (6 Jan).
Indonesia’s candidacy was endorsed by BRICS leaders during the August 2023 summit in Johannesburg, according to Brazil, which holds the bloc’s presidency for 2025.
However, the world’s fourth-most populous nation delayed formal membership until the formation of its newly elected government in 2024.
Brazil welcomed Indonesia’s inclusion, highlighting its role as the largest economy in Southeast Asia.
“With the largest population and economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia shares with other members a commitment to reforming global governance institutions and contributes positively to deepening South-South cooperation,” said a statement from the Brazilian government.
President Prabowo Subianto, who assumed office in October 2024, has long championed Indonesia’s inclusion in BRICS.
Speaking at the Indonesia-Brazil Business Forum in Rio de Janeiro last November, Prabowo stated, “I think BRICS will be a new element that has a significant influence on the global economy.”
He added that his administration acted swiftly to secure membership, sending the foreign minister to represent Indonesia at the BRICS Summit in Kazan shortly after his cabinet’s inauguration.
China, a founding member of BRICS, expressed strong support for Indonesia’s membership.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, “Indonesia’s official entry into BRICS serves the common interests of BRICS countries and the Global South. We believe that Indonesia will actively contribute to the development of BRICS.”
The spokesperson reaffirmed BRICS’s commitment to multilateralism, fairness, and justice, while emphasising China’s readiness to collaborate with Indonesia and other members to foster high-quality development.
“China stands ready to work with Indonesia and other BRICS members to build a more comprehensive, practical, and inclusive partnership, advance the high-quality development of BRICS cooperation, and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind,” the spokesperson concluded.
BRICS, initially established as BRIC in 2009 with Brazil, Russia, India, and China, became BRICS in 2010 when South Africa joined the group.
In 2023, it expanded further, welcoming Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.
The organisation serves as a key platform for fostering cooperation among emerging economies, aiming to challenge the global economic dominance of the G7, which includes the United States, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, and Germany.
