As the BRICS organisation expands, there are bound to be differences within the BRICS organisation, not to forget the strained relationship between the two founding members, India and China. In such a situation, it is important to be realistic vis-à-vis ASEAN’s engagement with BRICS.
The recent BRICS Summit held at Rio De Janeiro (July 6-7, 2025) drew attention for several reasons. One of the important features was the absence of Chinese President, Xi Jinping (this is the first time he missed a BRICS Summit after taking over as China’s President). During the Summit, several issues were highlighted, with a particular focus on the need for more inclusive multilateralism that gives a greater voice to the Global South. In addition to reaching consensus on these issues, participants also welcomed the entry of new countries into BRICS as members and partner countries. At the 17th BRICS Summit, the joint declaration said, “We welcome the Republic of Indonesia as a BRICS member, as well as the Republic of Belarus, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Cuba, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Malaysia, the Kingdom of Thailand, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Republic of Uganda, and the Republic of Uzbekistan as BRICS partner countries”.
Issues that were high on the agenda of the Summit included multilateralism, governance reforms, climate change, and Artificial Intelligence.
Expansion of BRICS and interest of ASEAN countries
In recent years, the organisation has expanded, and several Middle Powers from the Global South have shown interest in joining BRICS, to take advantage of the economic opportunities that membership offers.
ASEAN countries have also shown an increasing interest in being part of the BRICS grouping. Indonesia became a BRICS member in January 2025, while Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam have joined as partner countries. Malaysia and Thailand have also applied for full membership. Even in the Philippines, which is traditionally seen as pro-US, there have been calls for the country to consider joining BRICS.
While Indonesia has long pursued a balanced foreign policy, it has clearly stated that its BRICS membership aligns with this approach and will help the country highlight issues relevant to the Global South. The key driving force for ASEAN countries showing interest in BRICS is growing global uncertainty and interest in BRICS institutions like the New Development Bank.
Indonesia has stated that its entry into BRICS will allow it to continue advocating for the interests of the Global South. Malaysia, which is currently a partner country but has applied for full membership, has also expressed strong interest in BRICS. These were the several key issues highlighted during the recent BRICS Summit.
Also Read: India’s Cautious BRICS Engagement
While speaking at the recent BRICS Summit, Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim said, “We must demand the transformation of global governance structures, from the United Nations to the World Trade Organisation, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank towards a more democratic and just multilateral order.” He also pushed for greater cooperation between ASEAN and BRICS and greater intra-BRICS trade.
Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh, while speaking at the high-level discussion on “Strengthening Multilateralism, Economic–Financial Issues, and Artificial Intelligence,” highlighted important points made by several other leaders. The first was the need for the BRICS grouping and Global South nations to take the lead in pushing for reforms of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB), and the World Trade Organisation (WTO), to ensure that these institutions are more sensitive to the needs of developing nations. He also highlighted the need for greater cooperation between developed and developing nations.
Second, the Vietnamese PM highlighted the need for BRICS and Global South nations to play a crucial role in promoting trade liberalisation. Finally, he recommended that BRICS should work with other multilateral institutions to effectively make use of the benefits arising out of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and also create an AI ecosystem that ensures innovation while also focusing on values. BRICS, along with other institutions, must focus on ensuring that the benefits of AI are not restricted to a few, he further added.
While the growing role of ASEAN countries in BRICS fits in with the economic and foreign policy goals of several countries, a few points need to be borne in mind. First, many ASEAN countries would not want to annoy the US. In a social media post, Trump said, “Any country aligning itself with the anti-American policies of BRICS will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy.”
Earlier, too, on more than one occasion, Trump had warned of imposing sanctions on BRICS countries that seek to diminish the US Dollar. Second, while Malaysia has pitched for the need for greater cooperation between ASEAN and BRICS, other member states of ASEAN may not be comfortable with this proposal. Finally, as the BRICS organisation expands, there are bound to be differences within the BRICS organisation, not to forget the strained relationship between the two founding members, India and China. In such a situation, it is important to be realistic vis-à-vis ASEAN’s engagement with BRICS.
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