Indonesia joins Brics as newest full member, Brazil foreign ministry says

Addition of world’s fourth-most populous nation to group of major emerging national economies hailed as ‘deepening’ Global South cooperation

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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (left) posing for a picture with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto during the G20 leaders’ meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 18, 2024. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:48am, 7 Jan 2025Updated: 5:36am, 7 Jan 2025

Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy and the world’s fourth-most populous nation, has become the newest member of Brics, the Brazilian foreign ministry announced on Monday.

Brazil serves this year as president of the association comprising major emerging national economies, and a statement from its foreign ministry highlighted Indonesia’s significance to the Global South.

With a GDP of about US$1.4 trillion, a population surpassing 280 million and annual economic growth exceeding 5 per cent for much of the past decade, Indonesia is regarded as one of the most dynamic emerging markets globally, it added.

“Indonesia shares with other members of the group support for the reform of global governance institutions and contributes positively to the deepening of cooperation in the Global South, priority issues for the Brazilian presidency of Brics,” the ministry said.

Indonesia is the first country to join Brics as a full member since the group opened to expansion during its 2023 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Its original members are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Under Russia’s presidency last year, Brics introduced a “partner countries” category, admitting 11 nations, including Bolivia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda and Vietnam.