Indonesia is set to mark a new chapter in its global engagement as it officially becomes a BRICS partner nation on January 1, 2025. This announcement was made by Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov on Monday (December 23, 2024), confirming Indonesia’s inclusion alongside eight other nations in this growing economic bloc.
Besides Indonesia, the other countries joining BRICS as partner nations include Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Cuba, Uganda, Malaysia, and Uzbekistan. All these nations will receive the same status on the same day.
Ushakov remarked, “Ahead of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, we received 35 membership applications for BRICS. Undoubtedly, one of the most notable outcomes of the 2024 BRICS Summit was the creation of the ‘BRICS partner nation’ category,” as reported by Antara on Tuesday (December 24, 2024).
Among the 13 nations that applied for full membership, nine—including Indonesia—have confirmed their readiness to join as partners. “We are also still awaiting responses from four other countries to whom we have sent invitations,” Ushakov said, further illustrating the growing interest in BRICS.
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More than 20 countries have shown interest in becoming part of BRICS, Ushakov explained, underscoring that the organization remains open to nations with similar goals of cooperation. The recent BRICS Summit in Kazan, hosted by Russia in October 2024, highlighted this enthusiasm, attracting 41 delegations from 30 countries and six international organization leaders.
“The high turnout reflects the strong interest of Global South and Eastern nations in collaborating with BRICS,” Ushakov noted. He emphasized that the union of rapidly expanding economies is essential for creating a multipolar world, with BRICS acting as a “unifying force” that defends the interests of Global South and Eastern countries.
However, Ushakov also pointed to geopolitical tensions, accusing the United States and its allies of attempting to persuade invited nations to avoid engaging with BRICS’ initiatives.
With its expanding network of partner nations, BRICS is further establishing itself as a central player in fostering global economic collaboration, and Indonesia’s inclusion marks an important step in its strategic positioning within this influential alliance.
