From a four-member economic acronym coined in 2001, BRICS has evolved into a powerful Global South platform spanning 11 members and 10 partners. As India hosts its 18th summit amid geopolitical conflict, trade disruptions and US pressure, the bloc faces a defining test: can it turn growing heft into meaningful outcomes?

When Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill coined the acronym BRIC in 2001 to group the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China, he could hardly have envisioned its evolution into a large, influential diplomatic bloc over a quarter of a century later.

Now known as BRICS after South Africa joined it in 2010, the grouping has expanded to include 11 member states and 10 partner countries. Over the years, it has become a vital platform for emerging markets and developing economies seeking a more equitable international order and meaningful reform of global governance institutions.

The bloc’s growth underscores its rising heft on the world stage. Several countries, many from the African continent, are now eager to join BRICS, which expanded considerably in 2024 with the inclusion of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Indonesia joined a year later alongside ten other nations - Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam — which became partner countries. Today, the 11 member states represent nearly half the world’s population, 40 per cent of global GDP and 26 per cent of international trade.

As a founding member of the informal grouping, India, as the current Chair, will host the BRICS Summit on September 12-13 in New Delhi.........

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