Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, and Ethiopia are the new full members of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). In a landmark decision on August 24, the current members of the group declared expansion of the grouping by welcoming the six new countries into the fold. The membership will come into effect on January 1, 2024.
Announcing the decision at the end of the 15th BRICS summit at Johannesburg, South Africa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the addition of new members would strengthen the outfit and increase confidence in the idea of a multipolar world order. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, current Chair of BRICS, presented the Johannesburg Declaration – the outcome document of the summit.
In his address at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, PM Modi said that India has always supported the expansion of BRICS and believed that adding new members will strengthen BRICS as an organisation. He also expressed confidence that working together with these new members will give a new pace and energy to BRICS cooperation. He emphasised that the expansion and modernisation of BRICS is an indication that institutions of the world must get accustomed to changing times.
