Member states of BRICS
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The original members of BRICS were Brazil, Russia, India, and China, which began meeting as BRIC in 2006 and held their first leaders' summit in 2009. South Africa joined in 2010, giving the grouping its current acronym. BRICS expanded in 2024 with the admission of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia formally joined in January 2025. Official BRICS sources also list Saudi Arabia among the member states, although its status has been described inconsistently (see Status of Saudi Arabia).[1] In addition to its members, BRICS has a formal category of partner countries and uses several formats for engagement with other states and international organizations.
Forms of affiliation and participation
BRICS is an informal intergovernmental coordination forum rather than a treaty-based international organization. It has no constitutive treaty, permanent secretariat or budget of its own.[2] Official BRICS material distinguishes two standing categories of participation: member states and partner countries. Other forms of participation, including BRICS Outreach, BRICS Plus and invitations to external-engagement countries or international organizations, concern participation in particular meetings and do not constitute additional categories of membership.[1]
| Status or format | Nature | Participation |
|---|---|---|
| Member state | Standing BRICS participation category. | Members participate throughout the BRICS framework, and decisions among them are taken by consensus.[1][2] |
| Partner country | Standing participation category created at the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan in 2024. | Partners are individually invited to the BRICS leaders' summit and meetings of foreign ministers. They may be invited to other meetings subject to consultation and consensus among the members, and may endorse summit declarations, foreign-ministers' declarations and other final documents.[3] |
| BRICS Outreach | External-engagement meeting format, introduced by South Africa in 2013. | The rotating presidency may invite countries from its geographic region to participate in selected BRICS activities. Such participation does not itself confer member or partner status.[4] |
| BRICS Plus | External-engagement meeting format, introduced by China in 2017. | The rotating presidency may invite countries from outside its geographic region to participate. Participation in BRICS Plus is not a separate membership category.[4] |
| Other invited participants | Ad hoc participation in particular meetings. | States that are neither members nor partners, as well as international organizations, may be invited to specific meetings or summit sessions. An invitation to a meeting does not by itself create an affiliation status.[1] |
| Applicant or interested country | No standing participation status. | A declaration of interest or application does not itself confer member or partner status. The official accession process distinguishes interested countries from potential members or partners, with final admission requiring consensus among the BRICS members.[2] |
Accession process
For full membership, official BRICS guidance describes three stages: an expression of interest, designation as a potential BRICS member and, following consensus among the members, admission as a member. A parallel process applies to partner-country status. Criteria considered for partners include geographic balance, good diplomatic relations with all BRICS members, United Nations membership and support for multilateralism and reform of global governance.[2]
Status of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's status within BRICS has been described inconsistently by official and independent sources. At the 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg in August 2023, Saudi Arabia was one of six countries invited to become full members of BRICS from 1 January 2024.[5] Unlike Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, which accepted invitations to join the group, Saudi Arabia did not publicly confirm that it had formally accepted its invitation. In January 2024, Saudi Minister of Commerce Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi stated that Saudi Arabia had "not yet officially joined BRICS".[6] In May 2025, Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia had "held off formally joining" the group, despite being listed as a member on the official BRICS website.[7]
Official BRICS material has nevertheless classified Saudi Arabia as a full member. The website of the 2025 Brazilian BRICS presidency described BRICS as consisting of eleven countries, including Saudi Arabia, and listed the kingdom among the group's member countries.[8] The Government of India, which holds the 2026 BRICS presidency, has similarly treated Saudi Arabia as one of the eleven BRICS members. A July 2026 government release referred to the "eleven BRICS member countries" and included Saudi Arabia in the list,[9] while an August 2026 release stated that BRICS "brings together eleven" countries and again included Saudi Arabia.[10]
Saudi Arabia's own official terminology has remained inconsistent. During the 17th BRICS summit in July 2025, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) stated that Saudi Arabia was participating "as an invited country to join the BRICS group", rather than describing it as a member.[11] This inconsistency continued during BRICS meetings in New Delhi in May 2026. On 14 May, SPA reported that the kingdom participated "in its capacity as a BRICS member country",[12] while a report issued the following day stated that "Saudi Arabia participated as an invited country".[13]
Consequently, Saudi Arabia is listed as a BRICS member by official BRICS sources and is treated as one by other members of the organization, while Saudi Arabia continues to maintain ambiguity regarding its status.[7][8][12][13]
Member states
Official BRICS sources and the Government of India, which holds the 2026 BRICS presidency, list eleven member states.[1][14]
Partner countries
The partner-country category was created at the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan in 2024. It is a formal participation category distinct from full membership and should not be confused with observer status. Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan became the first BRICS partner countries in January 2025.[3] Vietnam was formally admitted on 13 June 2025, becoming the tenth partner country.[22]
Other partner-country invitations and expressions of interest
BRICS has considered a larger group of states for partner-country status than the ten countries that have formally become partners. Official BRICS material states that more than 30 countries expressed interest in participation as members or partners during the 2024 expansion process.[2] An invitation or expression of interest should therefore not be treated as equivalent to partner status.
| Country | Reported position | Status |
|---|---|---|
 Türkiye | Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said in November 2024 that BRICS had offered Türkiye partner-country status.[23] | Türkiye is not included in the current official list of BRICS partner countries.[1] |
 Algeria | Algeria was among countries that had expressed interest in BRICS participation. In September 2024, Algerian state media reported that the authorities considered the country's full-membership accession file closed.[24] | Algeria is not a BRICS member or partner.[1] |
Applications and prospective expansion
An application or expression of interest does not constitute a BRICS affiliation status. Under the procedures described by BRICS, applications are considered through consultations before leaders decide by consensus whether to invite a country to become a member or partner.[2]
Disputed members
| Country | Capital | Area (km2) | Population (2025) | Density (/km2) | GDP per cap. (PPP)[15] | HDI[16] | Currency | Official languages | Leaders | Accession |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Saudi ArabiaKingdom of Saudi Arabia | Riyadh | 2,149,690 | 34,566,328[25] | 16.1 | 61,923 | 0.900 | Saudi riyal (ر.س) (SAR) | Arabic | Head of State: Salman of Saudi Arabia Head of Government: Mohammed bin Salman | Invited to join from 1 January 2024[c][1] |
Current publicly confirmed applications for full membership
| Country | Application | Current position |
|---|---|---|
 Azerbaijan | August 2024[26] | Azerbaijan formally applied for BRICS membership. It is not currently listed as a member or partner.[1] |
 Pakistan | 2023 | Pakistan has publicly maintained its interest in full membership. In July 2025, its Foreign Ministry stated that Pakistan remained interested in becoming a BRICS member.[27] It is not currently a member or partner.[1] |
 Palestine | 2025 | The Palestinian ambassador to Russia stated in September 2025 that Palestine had submitted an application for full membership and had not yet received a response.[28] Palestine is not currently a member or partner.[1] |
Former full-membership applications
| Country | Application | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
 Argentina | 2022 | Argentina was invited in 2023 to become a member from 1 January 2024, but the government of Javier Milei declined the invitation in December 2023.[29] |
| Algeria | 2023 | Algerian authorities later considered the accession file closed, according to Algerian state media in September 2024.[24] |
Unsuccessful or unresolved partner-country bids
During the 2024 process for selecting the first partner countries, a number of additional states expressed interest but did not obtain partner status. Reporting at the 16th BRICS summit stated that Brazil opposed the inclusion of Venezuela among the proposed partners.[30] Nicaragua was also discussed as a possible partner but was not selected.[31] Neither country is currently a BRICS partner.[1]
Membership in other international groupings
The following table compares BRICS member states' full membership in selected international groupings. It does not generally include observer, dialogue-partner or other non-membership statuses; cooperation through OPEC+ is indicated separately.
| Country | P5 | G20 | SCO | RCEP | APEC | G4 | OPEC | Nuclear-armed state | AU | AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Brazil |
No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | OPEC+ | No | No | No |
 Russia |
Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | OPEC+ | Yes | No | No |
 India |
No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
 China |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
 South Africa |
No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
 Egypt |
No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
 Ethiopia |
No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
 Iran |
No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
 United Arab Emirates |
No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
 Indonesia |
No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Notes
- ↑ The actual area under PRC control is 9,596,960.
- ↑ The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam is the leading position in the Communist Party of Vietnam.
- ↑ Saudi Arabia's BRICS membership is disputed. Official BRICS sources list Saudi Arabia as a BRICS member, while the country maintains ambiguity regarding its status. See Status of Saudi Arabia for discussion of its status.
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "About the BRICS". BRICS Brasil. Government of Brazil. 20 January 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Frequently Asked Questions about the BRICS". BRICS Brasil. Government of Brazil. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Nine nations announced as BRICS 'partner countries'". BRICS Brasil. Government of Brazil. 17 January 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- 1 2 "After all, what is the BRICS?". BRICS Brasil. Government of Brazil. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "XV BRICS Summit: Johannesburg II Declaration" (PDF). Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. 24 August 2023. p. 26. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
We have decided to invite ... the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ... to become full members of BRICS from 1 January 2024.
- ↑ "Saudi Arabia has not yet joined BRICS - minister". Reuters. 16 January 2024.
Saudi Arabia has been invited to attend BRICS, we have not yet officially joined BRICS.
- 1 2 Magid, Pesha; El Dahan, Maha; Saini, Manya (8 May 2025). "Saudi Arabia sits on fence over BRICS with eye on vital ties with US". Reuters. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
Saudi Arabia has held off formally joining the BRICS bloc
- 1 2 "About the BRICS". BRICS Brasil. Government of Brazil. 20 January 2025.
The eleven members – Brasil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates
- ↑ "Under India's 2026 BRICS Chairship, BRICS Nations Move Towards Common Standardization Framework". Press Information Bureau. Government of India. 14 July 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
the eleven BRICS member countries
- ↑ "Department of Telecommunications, Government of India to host BRICS ICT Track in Pune from 17 to 21 August 2026". Press Information Bureau. Government of India. 15 August 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
BRICS brings together eleven major emerging markets and developing countries
- ↑ "On Behalf of HRH the Crown Prince, Foreign Minister Arrives in Brazil to Participate in BRICS Summit". Saudi Press Agency. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
as an invited country to join the BRICS group
- 1 2 "On Behalf of Foreign Minister, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Takes Part in BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting". Saudi Press Agency. 14 May 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
The Kingdom participated in its capacity as a BRICS member country.
- 1 2 "Vice Foreign Minister Participates in BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting in India". Saudi Press Agency. 15 May 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
Saudi Arabia participated as an invited country.
- ↑ "Under India's 2026 BRICS Chairship, BRICS Nations Move Towards Common Standardization Framework". Press Information Bureau. Government of India. 14 July 2026. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects: April 2025". imf.org. International Monetary Fund.
- 1 2 "Human Development Report 2025". United Nations Development Programme. 6 May 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Standard Spoken and Written Chinese Language (Order of the President No.37)". Archived from the original on 2013-07-24. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ↑ "New era as South Africa joins BRICS" Archived 18 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine . SouthAfrica.info. 11 April 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
- ↑ "S. Africa Joins; BRIC Now BRICS, 13 de abril de 2011". Archived from the original on 24 February 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
- ↑ "BRICS Gain Global Influence as South Africa Joins, Medvedev Says". Bloomberg.com. 2011-04-12. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
- ↑ Fletcher, Owen (2011-04-13). "China Seeks Heft for 'BRICS'". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
- 1 2 "Vietnam joins BRICS as a Partner Country". BRICS Brasil. Government of Brazil. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "BRICS offered Turkey partner country status, Turkish trade minister says". Reuters. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Adhésion aux Brics : l'Algérie tourne définitivement la page". Radio Algérienne (in French). 29 September 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "Saudi Arabia". UNData. United Nations Statistics Division. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "Azerbaijan submits formal application for BRICS membership". Azerbaijan.az. 21 August 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "Transcript of the Weekly Media Briefing by the Spokesperson on Friday, 11 July 2025". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan. 11 July 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "Palestine applied for full membership in BRICS, says envoy". Anadolu Agency. 26 September 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "El gobierno de Javier Milei oficializó que la Argentina no entrará a los Brics". La Nación (in Spanish). 29 December 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "Brasil vetó a Venezuela en los BRICS tras presiones de Maduro" (in Spanish). EFE. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "Veto do Brasil mantém Venezuela fora de parceria com Brics". Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). 23 October 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
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