The process began before the summit in Johannesburg in 2023, but was suspended at the request of Indonesia due to the planned change of the presidential administration following the elections in February 2024. After receiving an official request from Indonesia in October 2024 to join BRICS, the Russian chairmanship facilitated internal discussion that resulted in a collective decision on Jakarta's application, and already on Jan. 6, 2025, Brazil as the new chair announced the inclusion of Indonesia into the BRICS family.

On Feb. 6, Jakarta hosted consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers – Russian and Indonesian BRICS sherpas – Sergey Ryabkov and Tri Tharyat, as well as a briefing for representatives of Indonesian government agencies, business circles and expert community, during which Russian diplomats informed the audience about the main mechanisms and activities within the BRICS framework.

Despite that, there are still discussions in Indonesian public and political circles about possible risks for its joining BRICS that are often based on a lack of information about the activities of the grouping, as well as a number of common misconceptions.

At the moment, BRICS comprises 11 countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan have joined the grouping as partner countries.

BRICS has developed a vast and diverse network of cooperation and dialogue mechanisms (more than 50, exceeding the OECD and the G20) covering all three pillars of the BRICS Strategic Partnership: Policy and security, economy and finance, as well as cultural and humanitarian exchanges.

First, it is important to emphasize that BRICS, being perceived as a leading voice of emerging markets and developing countries (EMDCs), has become an indispensable part of the current geopolitical landscape, providing a powerful tool for building a more just and equitable model of world order. It advocates the interests of the Global South and East, shaping a more inclusive, participatory and democratic global governance.

BRICS cooperation is not aimed against any third party and does not intend to replace existing multilateral mechanisms. As Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar aptly noted: BRICS is not anti-Western, but simply a non-Western grouping. The fact that most of the BRICS members have extensive ties with the United States and the European Union is convincing proof of this thesis, but the door to BRICS is not closed to anyone.

BRICS seeks to offer innovative collective solutions to key global issues and challenges and promotes such approaches that exclude the bloc mentality and “zero-sum” geopolitical games. Cooperation within BRICS is based on the principles of mutual respect, sovereign equality, openness and inclusiveness.

Any decisions are taken solely by consensus. This is a time-tested mechanism to ensure that the interests of all BRICS countries without exception are taken into account. Of course, this requires a responsible, constructive and balanced approach from all of its members, who engage in such a way as to avoid bringing possible bilateral issues to the BRICS platform.

The second misconception is related to the risk of being subject to US sanctions due to the refusal to use the dollar in mutual settlements. The BRICS participants do not raise this issue. In fact, at the current stage, the grouping is working to create financial mechanisms that are resilient to external risks, not a “single currency”, but the BRICS Cross-Border Payments Initiative that envisages the creation of a platform for cross-border payments, aimed at creating conditions for further increasing trade and investments among BRICS countries. It is known that Indonesia actively supports a similar trend within ASEAN.

Other initiatives on the financial track include BRICS Clear which envisages the creation of interstate settlement and depository infrastructure, while BRICS Reinsurance Company is aimed at creating an independent insurance infrastructure. Participation in these processes is voluntary.

Last year, the BRICS trade ministers adopted the BRICS Declaration on the WTO, which emphasizes BRICS members' support for an open, fair, transparent, predictable, equitable, non-discriminatory, inclusive, consensus-based and rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. To make the voices of BRICS members heard in multilateral trading platforms, including the WTO, the grouping agreed to establish the BRICS Informal Consultative Structure on WTO Issues.

Top priorities for BRICS cooperation are the topics of food and energy security. Last year all the partners supported the Russian initiative to establish BRICS Grain Exchange, a grain (commodities) trading platform, which can be subsequently developed to include other commodities.

BRICS Energy Dialogue is aimed at ensuring inclusive and just energy transitions with access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. The grouping promotes energy cooperation as outlined in the BRICS Energy Security Report, prepared by the BRICS Energy Research Cooperation Platform in 2023.

Remarkable progress was achieved on the environment and climate track. Ministers responsible for climate issues have adopted the Framework for Climate and Sustainable Development, encompassing key aspects of climate action, including equitable transition, mitigation, adaptation, carbon markets, finance, science and business engagement. They also agreed to initiate discussions to establish a BRICS Climate Research Platform, which would facilitate the preparation of BRICS climate studies and reports.

A Memorandum of Understanding on the BRICS Carbon Market Partnership was also agreed upon at the end of the previous year. Indonesia is welcome to join these initiatives.

Cooperation in the healthcare sphere witnessed significant progress under Russia’s chairsmanhip. The BRICS Working Group on Nuclear Medicine began operations, focusing on innovative radiopharmaceuticals, radionuclide diagnostics in oncology and nuclear cardiology.

People-to-people cooperation, as well as cooperation in science, sports and culture has been consistently one of the fundamental areas of engagement within BRICS. Last year Russia’s chairmanship placed significant emphasis on strengthening scientific and educational ties among BRICS nations.

The cultural calendar also featured a great number of events showcasing the diversity and creativity of BRICS nations, including the BRICS Film Festival, the BRICS Theater Schools Festival, the BRICS Fair of National Brands and Creative Industries Forum, as well as the BRICS Fashion Summit.

The Russian chairmanship had an extensive agenda of sports cooperation. The traditional BRICS Sports Games on June 11-24 were held for the first time in an open format. More than three thousand athletes from over 80 countries of Africa, Asia, Europe, Central and South America gathered in Kazan to compete in 27 sports. The tourism sector has developed as one of the promising areas of the BRICS strategic partnership. Several events with the participation of the media and representatives of the expert community were organized.

Brazil taking over the BRICS chairmanship in 2025 will continue strengthening the BRICS Strategic Partnership by developing its agenda including in finance, health and ICT cooperation. Among top priorities are climate financing and promoting use of local currencies in trade, as well as improving global governance to better reflect the needs of the Global South and East. As per BRICS practice, due attention will be paid to continuity of the BRICS interaction including the implementation of the initiatives launched under the previous chairmanships. Russia fully shares this approach and stands ready to fully support the Brazilian Chair in its efforts aimed at fostering solidarity and efficiency within BRICS.

Thus, Indonesia's accession to BRICS undeniably raises its international profile and role as one of the key states of the Global South, the Islamic world and the informal leader of ASEAN. Participation in BRICS provides an opportunity for the full realization of Indonesian global potential and investing the capital of dignity accumulated over centuries in the construction of an alternative architecture of international relations that meets the requirements of the times. Russia is ready to facilitate the seamless integration of Indonesia into BRICS.

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The writer is a Russian diplomat. The views expressed are personal.