As the countries are pushed on the brink of conflict every now and then, the expected notion is that the cracks in the pillars of multilateralism will become more apparent. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has proved this notion wrong. With countries like Finland joining NATO and Sweden sitting on the fences all set to jump any time into the club, BRICS has received membership requests from 19 countries before the 2023 summit.
The bloc consisting of emerging economies like Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa is set to meet in Cape Town in June to discuss its expansion, Anil Sooklal, South Africa’s ambassador to the group, mentioned in an interview. “What will be discussed is the expansion of BRICS and the modalities of how this will happen. Thirteen countries have formally asked to
join and another six have asked informally. We are getting applications to join every day,” he said, reported Bloomberg.
This year’s summit will be under the leadership of South Africa, the only country admitted (in 2010) after the formation of the group in 2006. Last year, when China was chairing the forum it brought the idea of expansion to the table. Countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia, which have developed closer ties with Beijing as it brokered a peace deal between them, are actively seeking entry into the group.
“Russia and China widely canvass the expansion plan. During the recent visit of Brazilian President Lula to Beijing, President XI almost convinced him of the rationality and need for BRICS expansion,” said Amb. Soumen Ray, Former Indian Ambassador, and High Commissioner, who has served in Gulf, West Asia, and Eastern & Southern African countries. These steps may trigger caution for other members, says Ray.
“China conducts its international relations primarily through Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Maritime Silk Road (MSR) under Xi Jinping. They will make the most of any forum to push the objectives of these two programs”, said Jaikhlong Basumatary, Assistant Professor at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
As far as China's agenda to expand BRICS is concerned, it is to enhance economic and trade cooperation, which is the foremost objective of BRICS, Basumatary believes. The expansion of BRICS could help China in building its diplomatic clout. Ray opined that the admission of more countries to the grouping will be done only by consensus and not under any other criteria. “China will undoubtedly manage to cobble up that consensus. It could easily be
surmised that the campaign to include more members into BRICS is China’s effective way to assert its power on the global stage vis-a-vis the US”, he further added.
“The idea of converting BRICS into an anti-West forum could have its origins in Beijing’s strategy to challenge the trade potential of the US”, wrote Seshadri Chari, foreign policy expert, in his column --‘BRICS has no place for anti-West agenda. India must not let China hijack it’ -- in The Print.
He added that it would be naïve on the part of China to assume that all the member countries would consider the US as their main adversary, especially in terms of trade. But should India be worried about Beijing’s ambitions of expansion?
According to Ray, the expansion will benefit India given the advantage the forum has provided it. “The group has provided the country a platform to voice its objective and neutral policies, concerns and put forth a stand on contentious global issues”, he mentioned. He added that the grouping has allowed the creation of economical alternatives for the global south by complementing the goals of Indian foreign policy. Moreover, BRICS has offered New Delhi access to other partner markets.
While acknowledging the opportunities and equal status this forum has provided to India in terms of investment rules, Chari mentioned that the country has always been optimistic about such expansion. “India has always supported the expansion of trade bodies to include emerging economies and extend the benefits of the commonwealth to developing countries”, according to him. But he highlights that such expansion should be based on rule-based order and the forum should not leave any room for ‘economic hegemony’ and ‘anti-West agenda’. After all, any attempt to transform BRICS into a soft power tool will defeat the purpose for which this ‘trade’ forum was established.
(Edited by : C H Unnikrishnan)
