Rio de Janeiro, July 17, 2025 — Once hailed as the vanguard of a multipolar world order, the BRICS bloc—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and a growing roster of new members—is now grappling with internal contradictions and waning cohesion that threaten its relevance on the global stage.
The 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, unfolded under a cloud of uncertainty. Notably absent were Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, both central figures in the bloc’s geopolitical heft. Their no-shows underscored mounting doubts about BRICS’ strategic unity and its ability to deliver on ambitious promises of reforming global governance.
Expansion vs. Coherence
BRICS has expanded rapidly, now encompassing 11 full members including Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE. Over 30 additional countries have expressed interest in joining. Yet this growth has exposed deep ideological rifts. While China and Russia push for an anti-Western posture, India and Brazil favor pragmatic engagement with existing global institutions.
The bloc’s diversity—spanning democracies, autocracies, and geopolitical rivals—has made consensus elusive. At the April foreign ministers’ meeting, BRICS failed to issue a joint statement. Even at the Rio summit, declarations were carefully worded to avoid direct criticism of the U.S., despite widespread frustration over unilateral tariffs and economic coercion.
Strategic Drift and Symbolism
Critics argue that BRICS is increasingly symbolic, lacking the institutional muscle to enact meaningful change. The bloc’s push for de-dollarization and alternative payment systems has stalled amid internal disagreements and fears of U.S. retaliation. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose 10% tariffs on BRICS-aligned nations added further pressure.
Despite these setbacks, BRICS remains a useful platform for countries seeking alternatives to Western-dominated institutions. Its New Development Bank has funded over $39 billion in infrastructure projects, and the bloc continues to champion Global South priorities such as climate resilience and AI governance.
India’s 2026 Chairmanship: A Turning Point?
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to redefine BRICS during India’s upcoming chairmanship, emphasizing “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability”. Whether this vision can overcome the bloc’s internal contradictions remains to be seen.
As BRICS stands at a crossroads, its future hinges on whether it can evolve from a loose coalition into a coherent force capable of shaping a more inclusive global order—or whether it will remain a fragmented forum of competing interests.
BRICS Faces Identity Crisis Amid Expansion and Geopolitical Strains
