BRICS Expansion
From Five to Twenty-Plus (2024–2025)
BRICS has undergone its most significant structural transformation since South Africa joined in 2010. The 2024 expansion added four new full members, and 2025 saw the formalisation of a "partner country" category.
- Original BRIC (2009): Brazil, Russia, India, China.
- South Africa joined: 2010 (attended as full member from 2011 summit).
- 2024 expansion (new full members): Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE.
- Indonesia joined as full member: January 2025.
- Ten BRICS partner countries admitted in 2025: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.
- Brazil vetoed partner status for Nicaragua (due to severed diplomatic ties) and Venezuela (due to disputed 2024 elections and ongoing crisis).
- India assumed the BRICS chairmanship in December 2025.
● Tracked since May 16, 2026 · last seen September 10, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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