Indonesia has officially joined the group. Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam among partner countries
Indonesia's official entry into BRICS is significant news. The huge archipelago, the fourth most populous country in the world, is a crucial hub on several fronts. First, it is the leading economy in Southeast Asia, a region where amid winds of trade wars and threats of tariffs, several international giants have long taken root. Indonesia is attracting several investments. Elon Musk is working on building a battery plant for Tesla electric vehicles, while the Indonesian government is negotiating with Apple on a wide-ranging plan. This is no coincidence, as the country is rich in crucial resources for the green tech industry. Such as nickel, on which Chinese companies have gained a foothold. But Indonesia also plays a notable role on the political-diplomatic front. Jakarta has often played a role as a regional stabilizer, mediating on sensitive issues such as the South China Sea. Indonesia is also the sole ASEAN representative at the G20, where it has often championed a worldview based on free trade, neutrality, pacifism, and pragmatism. For newly appointed President Prabowo Subianto, joining the group means advancing the goals of food security, energy independence, poverty reduction and human capital development. Analysts say the move is a turning point in Indonesia's historic policy of nonalignment, which is being transformed into a multi-alignment that strengthens ties with both Western countries and those in the so-called Global South. Not coincidentally, Indonesia is concurrently pursuing its OECD membership process. “However, the BRICS are increasingly attractive to emerging powers,” writes Richard Heydarian in Nikkei, according to which this not only reflects the rapidly shifting balance of power on the global stage, but, crucially, allows emerging countries to express their discontent with the U.S.-led international order and collectively protect themselves from the potentially disruptive impact of the second Trump presidency. After enlargement in 2023, the group now accounts for about half the world's population and 30 percent of global domestic product, contributing more than 50 percent of growth. After Indonesia, Turkey and Malaysia may soon join, while Brazil has already announced the inclusion of Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Thailand, and Uganda in the large list of partner countries.