In the outgoing year, the bloc grew to include Indonesia, the massive, $1.5T Southeast Asian economy in the top ten of countries globally by PPP GDP. It also welcomed ten new partner countries: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Nigeria and Uganda. More countries have applied for partner and full member status.
2025 was also a year of institution building, including the creation of new financial mechanisms, and increased trade using local currencies to minimize the risk of pressure from the West, and the US dollar, often used as a tool of financial warfare.
Together, BRICS represents a massive and growing counterweight to Western institutions, and a transition to global multipolarity.
For more details, watch Sputnik’s video.