International Relations — BRICS
1. BRICS — Overview
BASIC INFORMATION
- Established: 2009
- Headquarters: Shanghai, China
- Member Countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa
- BRICS is an acronym for grouping the world's leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
- In 2001, the British Economist Jim O'Neill coined the term.
- The grouping was formalized during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers in 2006.
- The 1st BRIC summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia on 16 June 2009.
- The BRIC group was renamed as BRICS after South Africa was accepted as a full member at the BRIC Foreign Ministers' meeting in New York in September 2010.
KNOWLEDGE NUGGET
- Term Coined: Jim O'Neill (2001)
- Formalized: 2006 (First BRIC Foreign Ministers' Meeting)
- 1st Summit: Yekaterinburg, Russia (16 June 2009)
- BRICS Renamed: September 2010 (South Africa joined)
- Headquarters: Shanghai, China
2. BRICS Expansion — 15th Summit (2023)
KEY DEVELOPMENT
At the 15th BRICS Summit, 2023, in Johannesburg, South Africa, a key development took place as the BRICS group expanded by extending invitations to six additional nations.
At the 15th BRICS Summit, 2023, in Johannesburg, South Africa, a key development took place as the BRICS group expanded by extending invitations to six additional nations.
Newly Invited Countries
- West Asia:
- Iran
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Africa:
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Latin America:
- Argentina (recently withdrew the planned entry into BRICS)
BRICS EXPANSION AT A GLANCE
| Region | Countries Invited (2023) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| West Asia | Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE | Invited |
| Africa | Egypt, Ethiopia | Invited |
| Latin America | Argentina | Withdrew planned entry |
3. Summary: BRICS at a Glance
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Established | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Shanghai, China |
| Member Countries | Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa |
| Term Coined By | Jim O'Neill (2001) |
| Formalized | 2006 (First BRIC Foreign Ministers' Meeting) |
| 1st Summit | Yekaterinburg, Russia (16 June 2009) |
| Renamed to BRICS | September 2010 (South Africa joined) |
| 15th Summit (2023) | Johannesburg, South Africa — 6 countries invited to join |
Key Takeaways for UPSC
- BRICS Established: 2009 | Headquarters: Shanghai, China
- Members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (5 countries)
- Term Coined: Jim O'Neill (2001) — "BRIC" originally
- 1st Summit: Yekaterinburg, Russia (16 June 2009)
- South Africa Joined: September 2010 → "BRICS"
- 15th Summit (2023): Johannesburg — 6 new countries invited (Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, Argentina)
- Argentina: Withdrew its planned entry into BRICS
- New Invitees: 3 from West Asia, 2 from Africa, 1 from Latin America
High-Yield Interactive UPSC Quiz (BRICS)
Q1. The term "BRIC" was coined by which economist?
Correct Answer: C. The British economist Jim O'Neill coined the term "BRIC" in 2001 to refer to the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
Q2. The first BRIC summit was held in which city?
Correct Answer: C. The first BRIC summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia on 16 June 2009.
Q3. BRICS was established in which year?
Correct Answer: C. BRICS was established in 2009 with the first summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The term "BRIC" was coined in 2001, but the grouping was formalized later.
Q4. Which country joined BRICS in 2010, leading to the renaming from BRIC to BRICS?
Correct Answer: D. South Africa joined BRICS in September 2010, leading to the renaming from BRIC to BRICS (the "S" stands for South Africa).
Q5. The headquarters of BRICS is located in:
Correct Answer: C. The headquarters of BRICS is located in Shanghai, China.
Q6. The 15th BRICS Summit (2023) was held in which country?
Correct Answer: B. The 15th BRICS Summit was held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2023, where six new countries were invited to join the grouping.
Q7. Which of the following countries was NOT invited to join BRICS at the 2023 summit?
Correct Answer: C. Turkey was NOT invited to join BRICS at the 2023 summit. The invited countries were Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Argentina.
Q8. Which Latin American country withdrew its planned entry into BRICS after being invited in 2023?
Correct Answer: C. Argentina was invited to join BRICS at the 2023 summit but later withdrew its planned entry into the grouping.
Q9. How many countries were invited to join BRICS at the 15th Summit in 2023?
Correct Answer: C. Six countries were invited to join BRICS at the 15th Summit in 2023 — Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Argentina.
Q10. The BRICS grouping was formalized during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers in which year?
Correct Answer: C. The BRICS grouping was formalized during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers in 2006.