What is BRICS: Kazan, which is called the third capital of Russia after Moscow and St. Petersburg, has been decorated to welcome the leaders of BRICS countries. The BRICS summit meeting will see the presence of not only the BRICS leaders, India, China, South Africa, Brazil, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, UAE and host Russia, but also the invited countries. About 20 world leaders are expected to be present in the city.
BRICS is a group that represents 45% of the world’s population, 33% of the world’s land area and 28% of the world’s economy. BRICS was earlier known as BRIC. It was established in 2006 in St. Petersburg. The first BRIC summit was organized in Yekaterinburg city of Russia in 2009.
How did BRIC become BRICS?
In 2010, at the meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers in New York, it was decided to expand BRIC and it became BRICS by including South Africa. South Africa participated in the BRICS summit for the first time in 2011. 13 years after the expansion of BRICS in 2011, it was given another expansion in 2024. 5 other countries were included in it. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia is yet to fully participate.
What is the strength of BRICS?
If we look at the population of this group of 10 countries, it is 45 percent of the world’s population and 28.5 percent of the world’s economy. You can estimate the strength of BRICS from these figures. A total of 15 BRICS summits have been organized so far before Russia.
How many times and where was the BRICS conference held?
The first BRICS summit was held in Russia in 2009. This was followed by Brazil in 2010, China in 2011, India in 2012, South Africa in 2013, Brazil in 2014, Russia in 2015, India in 2016, China in 2017, South Africa in 2018, Brazil in 2019, Russia in 2020, and in 2021. It is being organized in India, China in 2022, South Africa in 2023 and this year again in Russia in 2024.
What issues are discussed?
Issues of mutual cooperation between BRICS member countries are discussed in the Leaders Summit. Apart from this, officials of member countries discuss practical cooperation in meetings. Especially on issues like business, finance, health, education, science and technology, farming, environment, energy, labour, anti corruption and anti drugs.
India’s role in BRICS
India organized the 15th BRICS summit in 2021. In 2021, India had placed 4 major priorities before BRICS.
- Improving the Multilateral System.
- Cooperation in counter terrorism.
- Use of digital and technology to achieve SDGs.
- Promoting People to People cooperation.
When India organized the BRICS summit under the leadership of PM Modi in 2021, India took many such initiatives for BRICS, which was a first for this group.
- BRICS Digital Health Summit.
- BRICS Water Ministers Meeting.
- BRICS Counter Terrorism Plan announced.
- Announcement of BRICS Alliance for Green Tourism.
The 16th BRICS summit is being organized in Kazan city of Russia. This summit is being held under the chairmanship of Russian President Putin. The theme of Russia BRICS is – Strengthening multilateralism for global development and security. India has always supported the expansion of BRICS, so that the voice of the countries of the Global South can be further strengthened.