India’s Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, recently gave a fascinating explanation of why the BRICS group—comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—is unlike any other international alliance. Speaking at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Jaishankar compared BRICS to other well-known trade groups like the European Union and NAFTA, pointing out that BRICS doesn’t follow the usual rules or patterns of regional cooperation.
In his remarks, Jaishankar explained that BRICS was originally formed as a counterbalance to the G7, a group of the world’s most advanced economies that had historically kept membership exclusive. “There was this other club, called the G7, and they wouldn’t let anyone else join,” Jaishankar said. So, the BRICS nations decided to create their own group—one that would allow emerging powers to have a greater voice on the world stage.
Jaishankar noted that BRICS started small but has grown in both size and influence. While it originally brought together nations from completely different parts of the world with little in common geographically, BRICS focused on one shared goal: gaining more influence in global affairs. Each country in the group—whether it’s Russia, which was already a major player, or Brazil and South Africa—saw BRICS as an opportunity to reshape global power dynamics.
The group has steadily gained momentum. Unlike regional trade alliances that often rely on shared history or economic similarities, BRICS is based on diversity. Each nation is at a different stage of development, and they come from entirely different regions, yet they share a common drive to challenge the status quo.
In the last few years, interest in BRICS has surged. More and more countries are looking to join the group. Last year, during a meeting in Johannesburg, the BRICS nations agreed to expand their membership. The group will meet again next month in Kazan, Russia, to continue discussions and review their progress.
Jaishankar also highlighted one of BRICS’ most significant accomplishments so far: the establishment of the New Development Bank, which was created to fund projects and help members reduce their reliance on Western-led financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
What makes BRICS truly unique is how it has evolved beyond what anyone expected when it first began. What started as a small gathering of emerging powers is now seen as a key player on the global stage, offering an alternative to the traditional Western-dominated world order.
