China backs, but no consensus on admitting Pakistan into BRICS

China-backed Pakistan's Brics candidature has evaded consensus among the group's existing members, who represent global economic heavyweights and developing nations.

Russia, which holds the current Brics Presidency, seems lukewarm about Pakistan's desire to join the Brics. Sources told ET that Brics was expanded in 2023 and a fresh expansion is unlikely in near future even as a Brics partnership model is being developed

Sources said any move to include a new member requires consensus among the existing members and currently there is no consensus on Pakistan's aspirations. Besides, Pakistan with a fledgling economy, does not fit into a group of top and emerging economies, they pointed out.


Pakistan could enter the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) based on China's push. Russia had pushed India's entry into SCO and the move was backed by two Central Asian states - Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. However, criteria for entering Brics and SCO are different. Besides, unlike SCO, India is the founding member of Brics and its view is important in any further expansion of the group.

At the Summit held in South Africa last year, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, and Argentina joined Brics, taking total membership of the grouping to 11. Later, following the election of the new President, Argentina withdrew from Brics and total members now stand at 10. Besides Brics members, the Brics Bank (New Development Bank) comprises UAE-Egypt-Bangladesh-Uruguay as members.

Russia has announced that around 30 countries have expressed interest to join Brics as partners that according to Moscow underlines the significance of the plurilateral.

Addressing a session of United Russia's Commission on International Cooperation and Support for Compatriots Abroad last December, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the aspiration of many countries to become closer with the five-nation bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa is natural given that Brics is operating on a genuinely democratic and mutually respectful basis.