Saudi Arabia, UAE, Argentina lead race to become BRICS members

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Argentina — India’s key partners from the Gulf region and Latin America — have emerged as frontrunners for inclusion in the Brics group of major emerging economies, ET has learnt.

Brics member nations are set to brainstorm on the expansion of the group at the August 22-24 summit in South Africa.

Iran and Egypt, too, are keen to join the group, while Indonesia and Nigeria may also be considered for the expanded Brics, ET has learnt.


The Brics summit next week is expected to decide on the criteria for Brics expansion, and new members could be inducted in the 2024 summit in Kazan, Russia, according to sources.

At the summit, leaders will attempt to arrive at a consensus on the number of new members to be admitted into the group. There are reports that 22 nations have formally asked to become fulltime members, while some 20 others have submitted informal requests. More than 60 nations — mostly from Africa — have been invited to attend the summit, which will be a big display for South African diplomacy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet some leaders at the summit. “Heads of state from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will make a pronouncement on the enlargement of the group when they meet August 22-24…,” Anil Sooklal, one of South Africa’s top diplomats, said in a lecture at the University of KwaZulu-Natal earlier this month.