India, Brazil Push Back Against China Over BRICS Expansion
The countries have raised objections in preparatory talks for a summit in Johannesburg next month where Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will discuss potentially expanding the group to include Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
According to officials with knowledge of the situation, India and Brazil are resisting Chinese efforts to quickly extend the BRICS group of developing markets in order to strengthen their political power and balance the US.
In preparation for a conference in Johannesburg next month, where Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa would perhaps explore expanding the group to include Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, the nations have voiced opposition.
The officials, who wanted not to be named because the conversations were confidential, claimed that China advocated for expansion on numerous occasions during those sessions.
Numerous other countries are also seeking to join the alliance, feeding western worries that it is developing into a rival to Washington and the EU.
Due in part to these concerns, Brazil wants to avoid enlargement, and India wants rigorous guidelines on how and when other countries can join the organization without formally enlarging it. All decisions must be agreed upon by the members, who will meet from August 22–24.
According to the authorities, India and Brazil want to utilize the summit to discuss the possibility of adding other nations with observer status. Two of the officials indicated that while South Africa doesn't inherently oppose growth, it does favor considering various membership alternatives to accommodate this.
"The BRICS leaders meeting last year authorized the expansion of membership, adding more members to BRICS is the political consensus of the five BRICS countries," China's foreign ministry responded to Bloomberg.
The gathering intends to highlight the bloc's ambitions to become a significant political and economic power.The prospective creation of a common currency has previously been considered by the group, albeit little movement is anticipated in that direction.
The meeting takes place amid rising hostilities between Washington and Beijing and after South Africa expressed concern over the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin.He will take part virtually in order to avoid South Africa issuing an arrest warrant for him from the International Criminal Court.
Despite the New Development Bank established by BRICS freezing Russian projects and Moscow being unable to obtain dollars via the bloc's shared foreign currency system, BRICS members have declined to join organizations like the Group of Seven in accusing and penalizing Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Russia is not firmly committed to growing BRICS. said Fyodor Lukyanov, chairman of the Kremlin's Council on Foreign and Defense Policy.
"It is generally supportive of the expansion of the BRICS, although without much excitement. It does so by imitating what others do. We won't obstruct any choices.
The bloc, which was formally formed in 2009–2010, has failed to have the same level of geopolitical clout as its combined economic weight.More than 42% of the world's population lives in the current BRICS countries, who also produce 23% of the world's GDP and 18% of its commerce.
Draft guidelines for membership in the group were created in response to India's opposition to China's expansionist efforts, according to two Indian officials.The rules are anticipated to be debated and approved during the leader's summit next month, according to the authorities.
According to one of the officials, India has proposed that the BRICS countries should seek to growing economies and democracies like Argentina and Nigeria for membership expansion rather than Saudi Arabia with its dynastic and autocratic rule.
The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammad bin Salman, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month spoke about concerns regarding Saudi Arabia's potential entrance, according to the official. India's Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment.Inquiries for comment were not answered by the Saudi Arabian authorities.
Joining BRICS would support Crown Prince Mohammed's efforts to diversify his country's economy, which have recently brought it closer to China and Russia. China is the kingdom's main oil consumer, and the OPEC+ coalition depends on its relations with Russia.
Salman Al-Ansari, a Saudi analyst, claimed that the kingdom is currently experiencing its equivalent of Asia. He predicted that bilateral commerce will increase rapidly.
According to a Brazilian official, Brazil is working covertly to prevent open conflict inside the BRICS group and defy Chinese attempts to turn it into a rival organization to the G7. According to the person, China has requested enlargement in all preparatory talks, including two that were held virtually last week.
The "observer" and "partner country" categories are what Brazil is suggesting. The official explained that new countries would pass through these categories before being given consideration for membership, and Brazil would support Indonesia in starting the procedure.
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