Experts from the Global South view the recent expansion of the BRICS bloc as a positive development. “Any expansion means more voices for those who were unheard and left out of the integration process,” stated Aravind Yelery, a professor at India’s Jawaharlal Nehru University.
This perspective emerged during a meeting of 40 think tanks organized by the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the China Media Group. The gathering addressed the future of global development amid significant change and turmoil, ahead of the upcoming BRICS summit in Russia from October 22-24.
Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS expanded earlier this year to include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Ethiopia. Many believe this expansion will amplify the voices of more countries on the international stage.
With the Global South representing about 40% of global GDP and 85% of the world’s population, its influence in global affairs is growing. The expansion of BRICS is seen as a way to create more balance against the Western-dominated international order.