BRICS at a Crossroads: Big Expansion, Bigger Questions
The Xi and Putin No-Show Underscores the Bloc’s Identity Crisis
Is BRICS the dawn of a new world order? Or a proof that global multipolarity is easier to promise than deliver?
The 17th BRICS Summit (Jul 6, – Jul 7, 2025), held in Rio de Janeiro with a clear goal: cement BRICS as the leading voice of the Global South and as a counterweight to Western-led institutions like the G7 and the IMF. New members have joined the bloc in recent months like the UAE, Indonesia and Iran, giving the impression that the BRICS were ready to announce bold steps towards economic independence from the West, digital transformation and a new world order based in multipolarity.
Expectations were high but the Summit exposed something different. Behind the photo ops, two absences loomed large: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their empty seats indicate that the coalition is growing with new members at the expense of its already problematic cohesion.
A Global Gathering without its Power Centers
While Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva did his best to rally the group, his efforts were clearly undercut by the absence of two of the bloc’s founding heavyweights. Xi Jinping, citing scheduling conflicts, sent Premier Li Qiang in his place. At the same time, the Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is still under an active arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC), joined but only virtually to avoid taking any diplomatic risk.
Their absence was not to be ignored but what actually means? Given the fact that BRICS positions itself as a rising bloc with economic and geopolitical importance, the absence of the leaders of its more significant members is a statement by itself: Unity is not as deep as it is claimed to be. Thus, the decision of not attempting the Summit by the Chinese and Russian Presidents might hint something deeper: Analysts around the World argue that Anti-Americanism alone is not sufficient glue to hold together an alliance composed of nations with vastly different political systems, economic models and strategic interests.
In other words, when the leaders of the bloc’s most vocal anti-Western powers do not show up to the very summit meant to amplify BRICS’s global relevance, the message writes itself.
Putin’s absence is perhaps more understandable: Attending in person would have risked diplomatic embarrassment given his legal status in many countries. However, Xi's absence was more surprising and more telling. It could reflect discomfort with Brazil’s more moderate tone, frustration with internal disagreements, or simply a desire to limit exposure in a forum where China’s control is not absolute.
In either case, their absence weakened the summit’s impact. Without them, it felt more like a gathering of frustrated middle powers than a strategic alliance of the future.
What Was Announced: Big Promises, Little Progress
1. Expansion Without Strategic Clarity
One of the Summit’s headline achievements was the formal welcome of new members into the bloc, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, and the UAE. On paper, this makes BRICS a more representative voice of the Global South. However, in practice, it complicates consensus-building because each member-state brings vastly different interests to the table, from energy politics to regional competition.
There was no clear roadmap on how these new members will be integrated into BRICS's institutional structure, or whether the bloc intends to remain consensus-driven or shift toward a majority rule model. For now, expansion looks more like a statement of size, not strategy.
2. “De-Dollarization”
There is no doubt that one of the most expected topics of the Summit was the BRICS Pay Initiative. This refers to the proposed cross-border payment system designed to reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar. BRICS’s leaders have committed to this idea, but until today, they have not announced something solid like the launch date and the plan of financial backing of this Initiative.
In this regard, it is not the first time that BRICS have floated an idea like this, and just like in previous years, it risks sounding like a symbolic gesture more than a concrete plan. Without China and India fully aligned on financial architecture, any serious alternative to SWIFT or the U.S. dollar remains speculative at best.
3. Climate and AI
Brazil has used the BRICS to push its agenda for climate justice and the ethical government of AI technologies. In this regard, BRICS have signed a joint declaration calling for inclusive global rules on AI. Additionally, they urged the Western nations to contribute more funds on climate adaptation in developing countries.
Obviously, those are important issues, but the BRICS Summit stayed only in rhetoric. No enforcement mechanisms, financial commitments or even frameworks have been agreed and published making BRICS the platform for moral posturing rather than policy leadership.
What Didn’t Happen, and why it matters
Even though the expectations were high, many crucial developments did not materialize.
No currency was introduced, despite media speculation in the lead-up to the summit. The idea was quietly shelved, likely due to behind-the-scenes pressure from India and Brazil, both of which are wary of China's growing financial leverage.
There was no new funding round for the New Development Bank, raising doubts about BRICS's ability to scale its financial tools to meet the needs of new members.
Perhaps most tellingly, there was no shared stance on major geopolitical issues, from Ukraine to Gaza to Taiwan. The group failed to agree on the language supporting the two-state solution in the Middle East, with Iran disagreeing openly.
This failure to form a solid front on major geopolitical issues suggests that ideologically and geopolitically, the members-states of the bloc, are not on the same page.
What’s Next: India Takes the Wheel
Looking ahead, India will assume the rotating BRICS presidency in 2026. That’s both an opportunity and a challenge: New Delhi has always had one foot in the Western-led global order and another in the multipolar dreams of the Global South. As chair, India, will have to navigate through pressure from both China and the United States.
New Delhi’s leadership might bring a sharper focus on digital infrastructure, maritime security and Indo-Pacific partnerships but without clear decision-making frameworks and institutional discipline, even the most well-intentioned initiatives may get bogged down in political friction and bureaucratic delay. Not to mention the growing competition between India and China.
Final Thoughts: BRICS is growing, but to what end?
In conclusion, the BRICS Summit in Rio was a paradox. On the one hand, BRICS are definitely expanding their reach as they add more members and gain more attention. On the other hand, they remain a coalition defined more by what it aspires to be than by what actually delivers. At the end of the day, ambition without direction is not a strategy. And expansion without a cohesive vision risk turning BRICS into little more than a diplomatic stage show.
BRICS need more action and less announcements if they want to be more significant in global affairs. That means mechanisms, coordination and a framework for common action. As many analysts have argued, and I totally agree, anti-Americanism alone is not enough to hold together an alliance of such diverse political systems, economic models and strategic interests, . Being against something is easy but building something together is hard. And this is the real test BRICS is facing.