INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NEW DELHI: Looking to emerge as a counterweight to the West, BRICS announced Thursday that 6 countries - Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran,
Saudi Arabia and UAE - will join on January 1, 2024, the group of nations that together account for 26 percent of global GDP
While many of these countries have close ties with China, which wanted expansion to be accelerated, all of them except Ethiopia are also
ModiWelcoming the development, PM Narendra Modi said that the expansion will consolidate the trust that many countries have in a multipolar
adapt to the changing times and circumstances
Modi also expressed satisfaction that BRICS had built a consensus on the criteria, standards, procedures and guiding principles for
expansion.India had earlier strongly denied it was blocking the proposal to expand membership saying it only wanted the rules finalised
first for admitting new members
According to government sources, India had played the lead role in forging a consensus on the issue at the Johannesburg BRICS summit that
ended Thursday.In the joint press conference, where the leaders announced the decision after intense negotiations over 2 days, Modi said
India had always and unequivocally supported the expansion of BRICS
South Africa was the last country to join what was then known as BRIC in 2010
``We believe BRICS will become stronger with new members joining it and our shared efforts will also get a boost
This is an initiative that can set an example for the reforms of global institutions which were created in the 20th century, said Modi, as
he spoke about how India enjoyed deep and historical ties with each of the 6 nations who will join the group
Arabia, with which it has had a strategic partnership since 2010
Bilateral ties with UAE were upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2017
together with these countries we will provide a new momentum and new energy to our cooperation
whose names were announced will joint as permanent members, more are expected to join later as partner countries
The PM said India will also help build a consensus for allowing membership as a partner country
principles for membership
