The long-dominant unipolar world, shaped by Western-centric models of governance and institutions, is giving way to a more complex multipolar system. At the heart of this evolution lies the consolidation of the Global South—a more assertive and interconnected community of states striving for equality, representation, and autonomy in international affairs. Among the key driving forces of this transition is the BRICS group, which, through its collective economic strength and institutional innovations, is forging a new chapter in the history of global development and diplomacy.
Originally conceived as an economic alliance between Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS has evolved into a geopolitical platform with expanding ambitions. Since its inception in the late 2000s, the group has moved from being an investment banking concept to a functioning mechanism of South-South cooperation and political coordination. The creation of the New Development Bank (NDB), the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA), and the BRICS+ framework illustrate the bloc’s intention not just to complement but potentially to reshape the global economic order. Regular summits and working-level coordination in areas ranging from energy and healthcare to digital governance signify a level of maturity rarely seen in such diverse coalitions.
One of the most consistent and institutionally developed manifestations of this trend is the BRICS grouping itself. Initially seen as an investment category reflecting the growing weight of emerging economies, BRICS has transformed into a strategic coordination mechanism for the Global South. As international institutions founded after World War II increasingly fail to respond adequately to the challenges of the 21st century—such as the fragmentation of the global economy, digital sovereignty, climate instability, and technological inequality—BRICS emerges as an alternative platform articulating the interests of the majority of the world’s population.
Amid growing pressure on the international trade system and the increasing fragmentation of the global economy, BRICS is demonstrating its commitment to shaping an alternative model of global governance—one that is more inclusive and responsive to the needs of developing nations. The expansion of the group in 2025, including the accession of Indonesia and the strengthening of partnerships with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Nigeria, and other Global South countries, reflects the bloc’s rising appeal as a magnet for alternative centers of power. This expansion is not merely quantitative—it embodies a political will to establish a new multilateral order grounded in equality, respect for sovereignty, and mutual benefit.
The economic vector of cooperation remains a central instrument of BRICS’ influence. The combined GDP growth of BRICS countries in previouse years exceeded the global average, reaffirming the resilience of its emerging economic model. Institutional consolidation is underway, with proposals such as the creation of a BRICS grain exchange and the further development of the New Development Bank serving as financial pillars for the Global South. These initiatives mark a strategic move away from reliance on Western financial institutions and toward building a sovereign economic architecture capable of delivering investment and growth without political conditionality.
BRICS’ joint efforts in technology and innovation are also gaining momentum. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Shanghai and his meetings with the leadership of the New Development Bank underscored China’s intent to advance the bloc’s scientific and technological leadership. Simultaneously, negotiations took place on launching international projects in nuclear energy, artificial intelligence, and space exploration. These developments indicate that BRICS is positioning itself not only as an economic and political alliance but also as a global technological actor—one that aims to shape the future agenda with a focus on sustainable development, digital sovereignty, and scientific independence.
A defining event that underscored the group’s growing institutional maturity and ambition was the 16th BRICS Summit held in Kazan in October 2024. For the first time, the bloc demonstrated not merely declarative openness, but concrete expansion: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates were officially admitted, while the participation of other countries such as Saudi Arabia and Indonesia is being considered. This expansion not only increases the aggregate economic and demographic potential of BRICS but also enhances its role as a political actor aspiring to represent the collective interests of the Global South.
In the speeches of BRICS leaders, a clear aspiration toward creating an alternative architecture of global engagement is evident.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasized that BRICS is not a counterweight, but a complement to the existing order, in which historical distortions in power distribution must be addressed. Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted the need to build a fair multipolar system based on respect for sovereignty and the inadmissibility of sanctions pressure. Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated the idea of a “global community of shared destiny,” in which development and security must be indivisible and mutually reinforcing.
Thus, BRICS should now be seen as an institutional expression of the Global South’s collective aspirations for equality in the international system.
Its transformative potential lies not only in the economic power of its members but also in their ability to shape norms, development models, and agendas that offer alternatives to dominant Western narratives. In this context, the further strengthening and functional deepening of BRICS mechanisms may become a key factor in shaping a new model of global governance.
Evolution of BRICS: From Economic Bloc to Political Force
The BRICS grouping represents a unique phenomenon in contemporary international politics, evolving from a conceptual category in investment analytics into a stable politico-economic platform with growing institutional substance. Initially, the BRIC (without South Africa) idea was formulated in a 2001 Goldman Sachs investment report as a designation for countries with high economic growth potential. However, from the mid-2000s, the initiative gained a political dimension. The first BRIC summit took place in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, and in 2010, South Africa joined the group, making BRICS not only economically representative but also geographically balanced, spanning four continents.
The evolution of BRICS after 2010 demonstrates a consistent desire by its member states to create an autonomous institutional base, independent of Western-dominated structures. A key step in this direction was the establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB) in 2014 at the Fortaleza Summit. The NDB served as an alternative to the IMF and the World Bank, offering financing for infrastructure and sustainable projects in Global South countries without imposing political conditions. Additionally, the creation of the Contingent Reserve Arrangement was an attempt to build parallel financial stability mechanisms, reducing dependency on dollar liquidity and Western regulatory frameworks.
The next significant stage was the institutionalization of the BRICS+ concept proposed by China in 2017. BRICS+ functions as a platform for extended engagement with other developing states that are not full-fledged members of the bloc but wish to participate in forming a new global agenda. Within the BRICS+ framework, meetings are held with representatives from Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and partnerships are formed in areas such as education, digital transformation, healthcare, and climate resilience.
Comparing BRICS with traditional global governance structures such as the G7, IMF, and WTO reveals substantial differences in institutional logic and interaction principles. Unlike the G7, which represents a club of developed economies with a high degree of political-ideological coherence, BRICS is characterized by greater internal diversity and a lack of a unified ideological platform. Nevertheless, it is precisely this diversity that allows BRICS to claim broader representativeness of developing world interests.
As for global financial and economic institutions such as the IMF and the World Trade Organization, BRICS offers an alternative focused not on global standardization, but on adaptation to local conditions and priorities.
Mechanisms operating within the NDB provide financing in national currencies, prioritize projects aimed at sustainable development, and simplify decision-making procedures. This makes BRICS institutions more responsive to the needs of their members and less subject to politicized decisions.
Thus, the transformation of BRICS from an economic club into a politico-institutional force reflects not only the internal dynamics of the bloc but also a broader process of redefining the center of global influence.
At a time when existing international order institutions face crises of legitimacy and effectiveness, BRICS acts not as a tool of destruction, but of reform—accounting for new centers of power, the interests of the majority, and the need for sustainable, inclusive mechanisms of global governance.
A central element to understanding the contemporary significance of BRICS is the rising influence of the Global South. For decades marginalized from international decision-making, countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America are now asserting increasing influence, driven by demographic momentum, rapid urbanization, technological adoption, and the pursuit of development aligned with local values and priorities. The Global South accounts for over 85% of the world’s population and nearly half of global GDP (in PPP terms), and its share continues to grow. South-South trade has increased exponentially over the past two decades, far outpacing North-South flows. Initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and the expansion of digital and financial infrastructure in the South are repositioning entire regions within the global system.
In this context, BRICS serves not only as a symbol but also as a concrete vehicle for Global South empowerment. The bloc has promoted new forms of cooperation that emphasize mutual respect, non-interference, and win-win outcomes—principles that deeply resonate with developing countries that have often been on the receiving end of conditional aid and asymmetrical trade agreements. Through the NDB, member states and partners have gained access to financing for infrastructure and sustainable development projects without political strings. The BRICS Vaccine R&D Center, digital economy dialogues, and climate resilience initiatives demonstrate a commitment to practical solutions grounded in shared development realities.
Moreover, BRICS is increasingly vocal in advocating institutional reforms in global governance. Calls for restructuring the UN Security Council, revising voting shares in the IMF and World Bank, and promoting the use of local currencies in trade are not merely rhetorical but grounded in the recognition that the current global architecture does not reflect the realities of the 21st century. The idea of de-dollarization, once considered fringe, is gaining momentum—particularly in discussions of a common BRICS currency or settlement systems that bypass Western-controlled mechanisms such as SWIFT. These steps reflect not a desire for confrontation, but a pursuit of balance, justice, and autonomy.
Nevertheless, the path forward is not without challenges. BRICS remains a heterogeneous group with diverse political systems, economic models, and strategic interests. Internal frictions—be they geopolitical tensions between China and India, differing views on Russia’s global role, or economic divergence—pose ongoing coordination difficulties. Critics have also pointed to the lack of enforcement mechanisms or binding commitments among members. However, it is precisely this diversity that gives BRICS its strength: as a platform for pluralism rather than uniformity, it reflects the complexity of the modern world.
For countries outside the BRICS core—especially in the Global South—the BRICS+ format offers a promising path for engagement.
Kazakhstan, strategically located between China, Russia, and Central Asia, is well-positioned to serve as a bridge between Eurasia and the broader BRICS ecosystem. With active participation in regional platforms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as growing expertise in green energy, digitalization, and transit logistics, Kazakhstan can make a meaningful contribution to BRICS+ dialogues. The country’s emphasis on multilateralism, connectivity, and sustainable development aligns with BRICS’s broader goals, making it a natural partner in shaping a more inclusive global future.
As the world continues to confront systemic crises—climate change, technological disruption, inequality, and geopolitical fragmentation—the need for new frameworks of solidarity and cooperation becomes urgent.
BRICS, uniting some of the largest and most dynamic economies of the Global South, offers not only a challenge to the status quo but a constructive alternative. Its trajectory signals a redefinition of global priorities—where the voices of the many, not the few, determine the course of the planet’s shared destiny.
Forging this new chapter is not automatic. It requires political will, institutional maturity, and sustained engagement from both within and beyond the BRICS circle. But the momentum is unmistakable. The Global South is no longer a passive subject in international affairs—it is a rising force, and BRICS is its engine of transformation.
At the BRICS outreach plenary session held in Kazan in 2024, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered a substantive speech outlining the country’s positions on global security, cooperation, and sustainable development. He noted that BRICS is becoming a powerful center of attraction on the international stage, generating consistent interest from countries seeking constructive and mutually beneficial cooperation. He emphasized that the bloc possesses significant potential, uniting nations from various regions of the world and effectively leveraging its resources and accumulated experience for the common good. According to him, BRICS is capable of building a future based on principles of equal partnership, mutual respect, and shared prosperity. By the end of 2023, Kazakhstan’s trade with BRICS countries accounted for about half of the nation’s total foreign trade. Among the priority areas for deepening cooperation were trade, investment, digital technologies, critical mineral resources, food security, education, and tourism.
BRICS activities organically complement the efforts of the United Nations, which remains a universal and indispensable platform in the global system.
The principles of diplomacy and dialogue enshrined in the UN Charter form the foundation of BRICS’s agenda, promoting the peaceful resolution of conflicts and strengthening strategic stability. For lasting peace, it is essential to eliminate the root causes of conflict—poverty, social inequality, and lack of education. There is a pressing need for greater involvement of Global South countries in matters of peace and security. BRICS can enhance the role of developing countries and middle powers in the global governance architecture.
The BRICS+ format has the potential to significantly strengthen interconnectivity between the Global North and South, eliminate development disparities, and contribute to greater international stability and progress.
China Studies Center
