Tue Jan 07 08:09:02 UTC 2025: ## Indonesia Joins BRICS, Strengthening Bloc’s Counterweight to the West
**JAKARTA/BRASILIA** – Indonesia has officially joined the BRICS group, a significant expansion of the emerging-market bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The announcement, made by Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday and confirmed by Indonesia on Tuesday, solidifies BRICS’s position as a growing counterweight to Western influence on the global stage.
Indonesia’s accession, approved at the 2023 Johannesburg summit, was welcomed by Jakarta as a “strategic step” to enhance cooperation with other developing nations. The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted the principle of equality and sustainable development as key drivers for joining. Gratitude was expressed to Russia, the 2024 BRICS chair, for its support.
Brazil, currently holding the BRICS presidency, emphasized Indonesia’s shared commitment to reforming global governance institutions and fostering cooperation within the Global South. The addition of Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s most populous nation, significantly boosts the bloc’s geopolitical influence.
BRICS, initially formed in 2009, has been expanding its membership rapidly. Last year, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE joined. The bloc is increasingly focused on reducing reliance on the US dollar in international trade, a move viewed by some members as a counter to what they see as the US’s political manipulation of the global financial system. Proposals for a common BRICS currency are underway, although the initiative faces potential challenges.
Indonesia’s statement underscored its growing role in global affairs and its commitment to a more inclusive and equitable global order. The inclusion of Indonesia marks a notable step in BRICS’s ongoing expansion and its ambition to reshape the global economic and political landscape.
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