Xu Liping, Researcher of National Institute of International Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Director of Southeast Asia Research Center
On January 6, Brazil, the rotating chair of BRICS, officially announced Indonesia’s accession as a full member. This decision is a milestone not only for Indonesia but also for BRICS as a whole. It injects stronger momentum into global governance reform and South-South cooperation. At both the regional and international levels, Indonesia’s participation is expected to amplify the influence of BRICS and Indonesia.
A Late Entry, Yet Invaluable
Indonesia’s entry in January marks the third expansion of BRICS. The first occurred in December 2010, when South Africa joined as the representative of Africa’s emerging economies. The second took place in August 2023, when Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates were invited to join, with their membership taking effect in January 2024.
Indonesia had been a strong candidate for BRICS membership as early as the first expansion. It far surpasses South Africa in both population size and gross domestic product. However, at the time, Indonesia’s political elites were not fully prepared to embrace BRICS membership. As some Western media had branded BRICS as a “China-Russia club”, concerns arose that joining the bloc might signal a tilt toward Beijing and Moscow, potentially complicating Indonesia’s relationship with the West.
Following Indonesia’s GDP surpassing 1 trillion USD in 2018, there was a surge in calls for the country to join the BRICS cooperation framework. Under President Joko Widodo’s leadership, the country maintained steady economic growth, fueling expectations for its membership in BRICS. In August 2023, while serving as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Indonesia participated in the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, where it informally expressed interest in joining BRICS. Following an internal review based on BRICS’ established principles, standards, and procedures, member states reached a consensus on Indonesia’s inclusion. However, given Indonesia’s 2024 general elections and complex political landscape, the decision was not publicly disclosed at the time. On October 20, 2024, newly elected President Prabowo Subianto took office. Within days, on October 22, he dispatched Foreign Minister Sugiono as his special envoy to the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, where Indonesia formally submitted its application for membership. By November 2024, Indonesia, alongside Malaysia and Thailand, was designated a BRICS partner country. On January 6, 2025, Indonesia was officially accepted as a full BRICS member, making it the first Southeast Asian nation to join the group.
Indonesia’s accession has been widely welcomed by BRICS founding members, who view it as a move that enhances BRICS’ representativeness and standing. With a GDP of approximately 1.45 trillion USD and a population of 283 million, Indonesia is currently the world’s 16th-largest economy, maintaining a steady growth rate of 5.1% in 2024. The accession of Indonesia expands BRICS from a nine-member to a ten-member group, further increasing its share of global GDP and population. This enlargement increases the group’s collective strength and is expected to promote the high-quality advancement of “greater BRICS Cooperation”, furthering its contributions to global governance reform and beyond.
Bolstering Indonesia’s Role as a Key Middle Power
Indonesia, a founding member of the Bandung Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement, is also a critical member of major global and regional organizations, including the G20, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, and MIKTA (a coalition of middle powers comprising Mexico, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Turkey, and Australia). Now, with its formal inclusion in BRICS, Indonesia is poised to further solidify its leadership and influence as a middle power in both regional and global spheres.
One key benefit of Indonesia’s BRICS membership is that it boosted Indonesia’s leverage in the accession discussions of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), enhancing Jakarta’s role as a bridge between developing and developed countries. Viewed as an exclusive “rich nations’ club”, the OECD provides high-level technical standards and reliable economic strength, which Indonesia hopes to tap into to accelerate its industrial modernization and avoid the so-called “middle-income trap”.
However, Indonesia’s bid for OECD membership faces two major obstacles. First, its policies on fuel subsidies and export restrictions on mineral products have drawn criticism from the OECD. Second, Indonesia’s lack of diplomatic ties with Israel poses another challenge, as OECD membership requires unanimous approval from all existing members, including Israel. Indonesia’s entry into BRICS strengthens its negotiating position, potentially prompting the OECD to make some degree of compromise on these two major barriers. Should Indonesia ultimately join the OECD, it would be positioned to actively facilitate communication between developing and developed nations.
Another significant gain from Indonesia’s entry into BRICS is the boost it provides to the country’s economic power. According to analyses by relevant Indonesian institutions, while the immediate benefits of Indonesia’s BRICS membership may be limited, the country is expected to gain significant advantages over time. On January 7, Kompas, Indonesia’s largest newspaper, published a signed article titled “Indonesia’s Official Accession to BRICS: Six Key Benefits for the Nation”. The article highlights six advantages of Indonesia’s BRICS membership: expanding access to larger markets, enhancing trade volume between Indonesia and fellow BRICS members, reducing OECD dominance in the global multilateral system, decreasing reliance on the U.S. dollar, increasing Indonesia’s global trade and investment footprint, and enhancing national security resilience. These six key advantages will enhance the country’s national strength.
As the country advances its Golden Indonesia 2045 vision, sustaining high annual economic growth is essential. Achieving this goal requires attracting greater foreign investment, particularly in infrastructure. The New Development Bank, established by BRICS in 2015, offers a vital financing platform to help Indonesia expand infrastructure construction and advance sustainable development. At the same time, currency stability remains a critical priority. BRICS collaboration mechanism encourages local currency swaps to reduce dependence on the U.S. Dollar, helping Indonesia maintain monetary stability. In particular, the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement serves as a vital safeguard against financial risks.
Furthermore, Indonesia stands to benefit from the abundant energy and agricultural resources of BRICS member states, which will help address two of its most pressing challenges—energy and food security. Resolving these critical issues will provide a strong impetus for Indonesia’s high-speed economic growth.
Additionally, BRICS membership will enhance Indonesia’s leadership role within the Global South. Positioned as a key transportation hub connecting the Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as Asia and Oceania, Indonesia holds unique geopolitical importance. Its inclusion in BRICS underscores its indispensable role in the Global South. Seeking to reinforce its leadership in the Global South, Indonesia has identified Africa as a key area of engagement and, accordingly, organized the Indonesia-Africa Forum in 2018 and 2024. Through BRICS, Indonesia will be able to better capitalize on its comparative advantages and partner with fellow member states to promote trilateral cooperation in Africa, further elevating its influence and leadership within the Global South.
Source: World Affairs, Reprinted by permission
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