fazTimes media: As emerging countries want more say in how the world works, the recent BRICS summit in Brazil shows both the group's growing goals and its internal conflicts. BRICS stressed that the world is changing and the balance of power is shifting, despite the absence of some top leaders and internal disagreements.

In a statement released on Sunday, the group criticized the "widespread" use of tariffs and the "spread" of trade restrictions—this seems like a comment on Western trade policies, especially those from U.S. President Donald Trump. The statement also criticized recent U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, showing the group's support for the interests of the Global South.

According to Al Jazeera, the expanded BRICS, now including countries like Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, and others, along with original members like China, Russia, and India, represents almost half the world's population and 40% of the world's economy. However, even with this big presence, people are still wondering if the group can really move from making statements to having real influence on the world stage.

A Mixed Record on Unity

The main problem for BRICS is getting all the member countries to work together. The group is made up of different nations, and that diversity is both a good thing and a challenge. Each country has its political system, regional connections, and economic interests.

Sarang Shidore, who leads the Global South program at the Quincy Institute, said, "The real test is whether the group agrees on more than it disagrees on. This kind of compromise shows how challenging it is for the group to find agreement without forcing everyone to be the same.

Absent leaders present tensions.

Notably missing from the summit were Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Xi, who has attended every BRICS summit for over a decade, sent his premier, Li Qiang, instead. Putin stayed away from Brazil due to a court order, as Brazil is required to follow international laws.

Even though they weren’t there, China and Russia are still key players in the BRICS group. Their common goal to challenge Western influence continues to be the main direction for the group. Some critics say their absence leads to a situation where China and Russia have too much power, which weakens the voices of smaller countries in the group.

The Search for Real Outcomes

One of the few real successes of BRICS is the New Development Bank (NDB), based in Shanghai. Created to support infrastructure and sustainable projects in the developing world, it represents a small but important move toward financial independence from Western institutions.

To strengthen this, BRICS is reportedly creating a "guarantee fund" to reduce borrowing costs and bring in more private money. Jamil Ghani, a researcher at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, says these efforts could "cover areas where G7 or NATO groups don't reach."

Brazil has also suggested changing the NDB’s leadership setup, proposing that the rotating presidency should include more than just the original five countries. "This change might help reduce the idea that China and Russia are in control and make BRICS more appealing to ASEAN countries," Ghani noted.

U.S. Response: Resistance and Pressure

The growing influence of BRICS has caught the attention of Washington. Earlier this week, Donald Trump warned that nations getting too close to BRICS might face a 10% tax on their exports to the U.S.

"Pap said that as long as BRICS tries to reduce its reliance on the dollar, it will stay on Trump’s list of concerns," he explained, pointing out the group’s efforts to protect itself from Western penalties and financial dependence. This situation has created a tough choice for new members like Indonesia, Egypt, and the UAE.

A Bloc in Transition

Despite some fluctuations, experts concur that BRICS is transforming. It started as a name created by a Western bank, but now it has become a major group of countries with political power. This group embodies the objectives of the Global South and highlights the issues with the current global governance system.

The final statement from the summit asked for more fair systems, better trade rules, and a global order that fits today's world. Although these ideas are not new, the endorsement from a group representing billions of people adds significant weight to them.

The road ahead won't be easy. BRICS faces some big challenges, like political disagreements between member countries, no single shared currency, and different economic goals. But the group is still growing and can bring together people with different views, which shows it has potential. According to BBC News, BRICS "may not agree on everything, but it has become a strong symbol of a world that is increasingly resistant to accepting U.S. leadership as the primary option."

Whether BRICS can become a real force in global affairs or just stay as a group of hopeful ideas will depend on how well it can turn its big ideas into real actions. Right now, BRICS is both a puzzling situation and a hopeful sign—a group with a future that's as unclear as the world it's trying to change.

At FazTimes, we prioritize accuracy, confidence, and strong journalistic standards. We ensure every news story we share is real by verifying it with multiple trustworthy and independent sources.

We’ve compared this report with coverage from major news outlets around the world, including BBC News, Reuters, Bloomberg, South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera, NDTV, The Economic Times, and The Indian Express.

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