BRICS: Indonesia's Path to Asserting Global Influence

The world faced by President Prabowo Subianto, as he stood alongside the leaders of BRICS member states in New Delhi, is no longer a world determined solely by a handful of economic power centres. Economic growth, trade, technology, energy, and global political influence are increasingly becoming more dispersed across various regions. Developing nations, which for decades have more often been the recipients of rules, are now becoming increasingly active in demanding space to help determine the direction of change.

BRICS has grown into a platform that reflects this shift. The group, which initially consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC), now comprises 11 nations, including Indonesia. Overall, BRICS member states represent approximately 49.5 per cent of the world’s population, 40 per cent of global gross domestic product, and 26 per cent of world trade.

Prabowo’s presence in New Delhi is not merely a continuation of foreign diplomacy agendas; there are greater interests at stake. The effort to ensure Indonesia’s position within this increasingly influential economic group can be translated into broader manoeuvring space for national interests.

Indonesia will become a full member of BRICS in 2025. More than a year after that decision, President Prabowo’s presence at the 18th BRICS Summit serves as an opportunity to begin demonstrating how Indonesia intends to play its role as a member, rather than just being part of a list of participating countries.

As BRICS is undergoing changes, the expansion of membership makes the group larger, but simultaneously more diverse in its interests. The challenge for BRICS now is greater than just building collective strength; it is about ensuring that such strength can produce concrete cooperation.

Prabowo captured this issue by emphasising that the collective strength of BRICS should not stop at commitments on paper. According to the President, this strength must be translated into real opportunities for the people and amplify the voice of the Global South nations in determining their future.

This view aligns with India’s agenda as the BRICS Chair for 2026. New Delhi is promoting the theme ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’. Two main sessions of the summit discussed inclusive global governance and the strengthening of multilateralism, as well as resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability for inclusive global growth.