{"id":314442,"date":"2024-10-25T18:57:42","date_gmt":"2024-10-25T13:27:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=314442"},"modified":"2024-10-25T18:57:42","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T13:27:42","slug":"brics-plus-grouping-significance-and-challenges-explained-pointwise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/brics-plus-grouping-significance-and-challenges-explained-pointwise\/","title":{"rendered":"BRICS Plus Grouping- Significance and Challenges- Explained Pointwise"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">16th BRICS Summit<\/span>, hosted by Russia, recently concluded in Kazan. It was also the first summit-level meeting of the expanded BRICS+, which saw participation from leaders of the newly added BRICS countries- <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Egypt<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Ethiopia<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">UAE<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Iran<\/span>, and <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Saudi Arabia<\/span>. A special BRICS outreach conference was attended by around 30 Global South leaders.<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: solid; background-color: #ffffff;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><strong>Key Outcomes of the 16th BRICS Summit<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>1. Kazan Declaration-<\/strong> Kazan Declaration was adopted, which emphasized the need for a more <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">equitable global governance structure<\/span> and <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">peaceful resolutions of international conflicts<\/span> through dialogue.<br \/>\n<strong>2. BRICS Pay-<\/strong> An <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">alternative payment system to SWIFT<\/span> was introduced in Kazan. It aims at facilitating trade among member countries while reducing reliance on Western financial systems.<br \/>\n<strong>3. BRICS Grain Exchange-<\/strong> The establishment of BRICS Grain Exchange aims to <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">enhance<\/span>\u00a0food security and <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">agricultural cooperation<\/span> among the BRICS members.<br \/>\n<strong>4. Cross-Border Payment System-<\/strong> The feasibility of a BRICS Cross-Border Payment System to further integrate member economies, was also explored by the members.<br \/>\n<strong>5. Political and Security Cooperation-<\/strong> The summit also advocated for reforms in global institutions like the UN and IMF for equitable representation of developing countries.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<figure id=\"attachment_314448\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-314448\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-314448\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/brics-2024.jpg?resize=500%2C333&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"BRICS\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/brics-2024.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/brics-2024.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/brics-2024.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/brics-2024.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-314448\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source- BRICS Global Television Network<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%; text-align: center;\"><strong>Table of Content<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><a href=\"#toc1\">What has been the history of evolution of BRICS as a multilateral grouping?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#toc2\">What is the significance of BRICS as a grouping?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#toc3\">What are the challenges faced by BRICS?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#toc4\">What should be the way forward?<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><a id=\"toc1\"><\/a>What has been the history of evolution of BRICS as a multilateral grouping?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: solid; background-color: #f2f7e1; height: 360px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"height: 90px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 13.253%; height: 90px;\"><strong>2001<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 86.747%; height: 90px;\">The term &#8216;<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">BRIC<span style=\"color: #333333;\">&#8216;<\/span><\/span> was coined by Jim O&#8217;Neill, a Goldman Sachs economist, to describe the emerging economies of <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Brazil<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Russia<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">India<\/span>, and <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">China<\/span>. According to Jim O&#8217;Neill, these emerging economies were poised to dominate the global economy by 2050.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 90px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 13.253%; height: 90px;\"><strong>2006<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 86.747%; height: 90px;\">The BRIC nations held their <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">first informal meeting<\/span> on the <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">sidelines of the G8 Outreach Summit<\/span> in <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">St. Petersburg<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Russia<\/span>. This meeting <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">marked the beginning of diplomatic engagement<\/span> among these countries.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 60px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 13.253%; height: 60px;\"><strong>2009<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 86.747%; height: 60px;\">The inaugural BRIC summit took place in Yekaterinburg, Russia, where leaders discussed global governance and economic cooperation.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 60px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 13.253%; height: 60px;\"><strong>2010<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 86.747%; height: 60px;\">South Africa was invited to join the group. This led to the <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">rebranding<\/span> of the institution from <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">BRIC to BRICS<\/span>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 60px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 13.253%; height: 60px;\"><strong>2014<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 86.747%; height: 60px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">New Development Bank<\/span> (NDB) was officially launched with an initial capital of $100 billion, to provide development finance.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 13.253%;\"><strong>2023<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 86.747%;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">BRICS was expanded to BRICS+<\/span> with the admission of <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">six new member states<\/span>&#8211; <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Saudi Arabia<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Iran<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Egypt<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Ethiopia<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Argentina<\/span>, and the <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">United Arab Emirates<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><a id=\"toc2\"><\/a>What is the significance of BRICS as a grouping?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>1. Representative of Multipolar Global Order\u2013<\/strong> BRICS promotes the creation of multipolar world order with political and economic parity. The expanded BRICS comprises major emerging economies that collectively represent approximately <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">41% of the world\u2019s population<\/span> and <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">around 28% of global GDP<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Representative of new world order-<\/strong> BRICS represents the idea of New World Order decoupled from the hegemony of western powers. It serves as a <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">counter<\/span> to <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">groupings like G-7<\/span> which are dominated by the west.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Representative of the \u2018Global South\u2019-<\/strong> BRICS gave countries from the global south a platform to present their opinions on international issues and set an international agenda. The expansion of BRICS has <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">expanded<\/span> the<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> geographical footprint<\/span> of <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">global south countries<\/span>. <strong>For Ex-<\/strong> Recent inclusion of Egypt, Ethiopia, Argentina in the grouping.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Alternative to Bretton Wood Institutions-<\/strong> World Bank, IMF which were a post WW II creation of the west represented the western economic agenda. The <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">New Development Bank<\/span> (NDB), <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Contingency Reserve Agreement<\/span> and <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">BRICS pay<\/span> represent the economic concerns, priorities, and agenda of the developing and underdeveloped economies.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. Forum to achieve economic Decoupling from the West-<\/strong> As BRICS represents around 23% of Global GDP and 18% of world trade, it aims for <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">de-dollarization of world trade<\/span> through increased use of domestic currencies in economic transactions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>6. Alternative Platform of engagement for Oil Trade-<\/strong> BRICS-Plus represents <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">close to 45% of the world\u2019s oil production capacity<\/span>. It has <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">six of the top 10 oil-producing countries<\/span> of the world- <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Saudi Arabia<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Russia<\/span>,<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> China<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">UAE<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Brazil<\/span>, and <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Iran<\/span>. This can create an alternative platform for engagement of oil exporting countries apart from OPEC+.<\/p>\n<p><strong>7. Enhanced cooperation for achievement of SDGs-<\/strong> BRICS as a forum serves to reduce poverty, alleviate hunger-malnutrition and achieve the sustainable development goals set up by the United Nations.<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: solid;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\">Read More- <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/7pm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">7 PM Articles<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><a id=\"toc3\"><\/a>What are the challenges faced by BRICS?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>1. Chinese push for favourable expansion-<\/strong> China is pushing for inclusion of countries like <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Belarus<\/span> which are under <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">heavy debt trap influence of China<\/span>. India views this push for expansion as an attempt by China to make BRICS <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">a China centric platform<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2. Nature of Grouping-<\/strong><\/span> BRICS faces a challenge of either <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">retaining its core nature<\/span> as a group that is largely focused on financial and south-south challenge <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">or becoming a bigger geopolitical coalition<\/span> by admitting more nations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Political Division among the member nations-<\/strong> There are <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">disagreement<\/span> among the member nations over key issues such as <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">UNSC reforms<\/span>. Also, the group has drastically different political systems, ranging from <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">active democracy in India<\/span> to <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">entrenched oligarchy in Russia<\/span> to <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">communism in China<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Economic Disparity among the member nations-<\/strong> BRICS economies <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">differ in their magnitude of economic size<\/span> with countries like <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">China<\/span> and<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> India<\/span> leading in the economic ladder and countries like Brazil Russia languishing in the economic ladder.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. Chinese Dominance-<\/strong>\u00a0Chinese economy has the largest share among the member countries, and it accounts for 38 percent share in the total export of BRICS. This has resulted in <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">dominance of China in the BRICS bloc<\/span> and in turn has stoked the economic nationalism in other member countries.<\/p>\n<p><strong>6. Failure to bring impactful reform-<\/strong> BRICS has so far not succeeded in bringing reform in Bretton wood institutions like <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">IMF<\/span> and <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">WB<\/span> and has not been able to de-dollarize their economies.<\/p>\n<p><strong>7. Lack of Consensus on contentious issues-<\/strong> BRICS has faced consensus challenges on important international issues such as <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Russia-Ukraine war<\/span>. While China is leaning towards Kremlin, India relied on its Non-Alignment Strategy.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><a id=\"toc4\"><\/a>What should be the way forward?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>1. Rule based Order<\/strong>&#8211; BRICS-Plus should be based on rule-based order and the forum <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">should not leave any room<\/span> for \u2018<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">economic hegemony<\/span>\u2019 and \u2018<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">anti-West agenda<\/span>\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Reducing the Dominance of RIC in BRICS-<\/strong> The marked dominance of big three Russia-China-India is a challenge for the BRICS as it moves ahead. To become a true representative of large emerging markets across the world, BRICS must become pan-continental.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Clear rules for expansion of membership-<\/strong> There must be a<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> clear definition of principles<\/span> and <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">criteria for membership<\/span> for further addition of countries to BRICS grouping.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Containing Chinese Dominance-<\/strong> India must find creative ways of <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">blunting Chinese strategy in BRICS grouping<\/span> to ensure equitable distribution of power in the group.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. Institution of a permanent secretariat-<\/strong> The BRICS group must decide on a permanent secretariat for smooth functioning of the group.<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: solid;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\">Read More- <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/columns\/why-this-is-not-just-another-brics-in-the-wall-9637333\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Indian Express<\/a><br \/>\nUPSC Syllabus- GS 2- International Organisations<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 16th BRICS Summit, hosted by Russia, recently concluded in Kazan. It was also the first summit-level meeting of the expanded BRICS+, which saw participation from leaders of the newly added BRICS countries- Egypt, Ethiopia, UAE, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. A special BRICS outreach conference was attended by around 30 Global South leaders. Key Outcomes&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/brics-plus-grouping-significance-and-challenges-explained-pointwise\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">BRICS Plus Grouping- Significance and Challenges- Explained Pointwise<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10357,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-314442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-7-pm","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10357"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=314442"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314442\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=314442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=314442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=314442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}