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OPINION FEBRUARY 28, 2025 | The Indian Eye 10

BRICS Expansion in ASEAN

and Indonesia’s Entry

Indonesia’s entry into BRICS as a full member sets a precedent for further expansion in the ASEAN

region. Given the attractiveness of BRICS, the scope of further expansion is not remote to other countries,
especially Malaysia and Thailand, which are already BRICS Partner countries

DR. MEHDI HUSSAIN

ith the joining of Indonesia
as a member of BRICS,
Wthe multilateral forum
has expanded to the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
region, one of the most dynamic and
fast-growing regions in the world, pro-
jected to grow at 4.7 per cent GDP in
2025. The country officially became a
full member of BRICS on 6 January
2025, under the Brazil Presidency.
During the Johannesburg Summit in
August 2023, Indonesia’s candidacy
was endorsed by BRICS leaders, who
then approved it by consensus in 2024
after Subianto’s government notified
the forum of its interest in joining
BRICS.
From the original four countries,
BRICS is now a multilateral forum
of eleven emerging economies, in-
cluding Brazil, Russia, India, China,
South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt,
United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia,
Iran and Indonesia. Its focus is to
unite the efforts of the Global South
to address the common concerns
of global development. Expanded
BRICS, or BRICS Plus, is success- For Indonesia and other ASEAN nations, BRICS provides economic opportunities to further their national development agenda (File photo)
fully bringing several countries onto
a single platform without a charter, a
treaty, a budget, or a permanent sec- strengthening and reforming the and security and strengthening the in- digital infrastructure. So far, NDB
retariat. It now represents 46 per cent multilateral system, international stitutional framework of the BRICS. has approved 96 projects for about
of the global population, 40 per cent law, support for increased represen- These are also the six priorities of $33 billion.
of its trade, 40 per cent of crude oil tation of emerging and developing the current Brazilian Presidency. Indonesian membership also
production and exports and about 30 countries in the international system The New Development Bank adds to the rich diversity of BRICS
per cent of its GDP. and commitment to the central role (NDB) was established in 2015 as the continents, regions, political systems,
The BRICS functioning style can of the United Nations in the inter- financing arm of the BRICS towards economies and cultures. It is the larg-
be termed as “formally informal,” national system. The forum, thus, implementing the priorities. NDB est economy and the most populous
whereby the governance process serves as a political and diplomatic “supports infrastructure and sustain- nation in Southeast Asia. It is apt
operationally is based on common coordination platform for emerging able development projects in align- here to view the inclusion of Indone-
priorities without a formal struc- markets and developing countries of ment with the development objectives sia as the recognition of the “ASEAN
ture. Each country’s Presidency is the Global South to pursue their de- of its members.” It has been financing centrality” and the organizational
allowed to set these priorities; how- velopment agenda by aligning with several projects in the focus areas, principle for ASEAN regionalism
ever, it must adhere to the guiding BRICS priorities in global health, including clean energy and energy to navigate through complex geopo-
principles of BRICS cooperation, trade, investments and finance, cli- efficiency, transport infrastructure, litical and geoeconomic challenges
including mutual respect, openness, mate change, artificial governance, water and sanitation, environmental pervading the region and the world.
inclusiveness, solidarity, consensus, multilateral architecture for peace protection, social infrastructure and Continued on next page... >>

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