Johannesburg – The ‘BRICS’ organisation of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa may expand in the coming times. About 22 countries have applied for membership in BRICS. At the same time, a senior South African official shared that more than 20 countries have 
shown keenness to be part of the BRICS. It was already clear that Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Argentina are preparing to join BRICS. BRICS was formed as an alternative to the international system dominated by the US and Western countries. Hence, the number of countries showing eagerness for BRICS membership is increasing, which can prove to be a setback for the US-led global order.
Moreover, news about the expansion of ‘BRICS’ has been received for the past few months. It is also claimed that Latin American, African, Middle Eastern, and Central and Southeast Asian countries are seeking to join BRICS. Senior leaders of ‘BRICS’ countries had announced this. However, India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar, registered a response to expanding BRICS last month. After this, South Africa, organising the next meeting of ‘BRICS’, made public the information of countries eager to join this organisation.
Furthermore, Cuba and Argentina in Latin America, DR Congo in Africa, Comoros, Gabon in Africa, Saudi Arabia in the Gulf region, UAE and Kazakhstan in Central Asia are some of the countries that have applied for BRICS membership. Senior South African official Anil Sooklal provided this information. Meanwhile, countries that are part of the Global South have also shown keenness to be part of the organisation, said Sooklal.
Significantly, Russia has announced that President Vladimir Putin will not be present at the main BRICS meeting to be held next month. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be present at the meeting as the representative of President Putin, Russia has informed. The international court has accused Russia of being responsible for the Ukraine conflict and ordered the arrest of President Putin. On this background, Putin seems to have cancelled the tour of South Africa.
