What is BRICS? Full Form, History, Member Countries, Areas of Cooperation and First Summit
Learn what BRICS is, its full form, history, 11 member countries, partner countries, objectives, areas of cooperation, first summit, and the 18th BRICS Summit 2026 in India.
The 18th BRICS Summit is being hosted by India in 2026. The summit is being held on 12–13 September 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. India assumed the BRICS Chairship on 1 January 2026.
The year 2026 is also important because BRICS completes 20 years since its establishment. India is holding the BRICS Chairship for the fourth time. India previously chaired BRICS in 2012, 2016 and 2021.
BRICS is a group of major emerging and developing countries. These countries work together on important economic, political and global issues.
The name BRICS was formed from the names of its original member countries. Over the years, more countries joined the group.
Today, BRICS has 11 full member countries. It provides a platform where member countries can discuss common issues and work together.
New Delhi is ready. The arrivals have begun.
— BRICS 2026 (@BricsIndia2026) September 11, 2026
As leaders and delegations make their way to the capital, India warmly welcomes them for dialogue, exchange and advancing shared priorities.#BRICS2026 #BRICSIndia2026 #IndiaBRICSChairship pic.twitter.com/Ffj5xow58U
18th BRICS Summit 2026: Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Summit | 18th BRICS Summit |
| Year | 2026 |
| Host Country | India |
| Dates | 12–13 September 2026 |
| Venue | Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi |
| BRICS Chair | India |
| India's Chairship began | 1 January 2026 |
| Theme | Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability |
| Approach | Humanity First and people-centric |
| Importance | BRICS completes 20 years in 2026 |
India's 2026 BRICS theme is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” The theme reflects a people-centric approach based on the idea of “Humanity First.”
The 18th BRICS Summit is set to begin at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today.
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) September 12, 2026
The Summit is being held under India’s 2026 BRICS chairship, with the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.@MEAIndia @BricsIndia2026 #BRICS2026 #BRICSIndia2026… pic.twitter.com/OVGladK7fQ
What is the Theme of BRICS 2026?
The 2026 theme has four important ideas, given below in the table format
| Word | Simple Meaning |
| Resilience | Resillnece Being strong and ready to face difficulties |
| Innovation | Creating new ideas, methods and technologies |
| Cooperation | Working together |
| Sustainability | Using resources carefully for the future |
What is the Full Form of BRICS?
BRICS stands for:
| Letter | Country |
| B | Brazil |
| R | Russia |
| I | India |
| C | China |
| S | South Africa |
The name was first used as BRIC, before South Africa joined the group.
What is BRICS?
BRICS is a group of emerging markets and developing countries. It helps its members cooperate on issues that are important to their countries and to the world.
The group discusses subjects such as the economy, trade, finance, security, climate change, health, agriculture, education and technology.
In simple words, BRICS is a platform where member countries come together, discuss common problems and look for ways to cooperate.
History of BRICS
The history of BRICS began with the BRIC countries.
In 2006, the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers was held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. This formalised BRIC cooperation.
The first BRIC Summit was held in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
In 2010, the countries agreed to include South Africa in the group. South Africa attended the third BRICS Summit in Sanya, China, in 2011. After South Africa joined, the name became BRICS.
BRICS History at a Glance
| Year | Important Event |
| 2006 | First BRIC Foreign Ministers' Meeting |
| 2009 | First BRIC Summit held in Russia |
| 2010 | South Africa was included in BRIC |
| 2011 | South Africa attended its first BRICS Summit |
| 2024 | Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE became full members |
| 2025 | Indonesia became a full member and 10 countries became Partner Countries |
The official BRICS India 2026 website states that Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE became full members in January 2024, while Indonesia became a full member in January 2025.
BRICS in numbers 🌍
— BRICS 2026 (@BricsIndia2026) September 9, 2026
11 Member Countries • 49% of the world’s population • 40% of global GDP (PPP)
In addition, 10 countries are BRICS Partner Countries, further expanding the platform’s reach across economies and regions.
A growing platform for dialogue, partnerships and… pic.twitter.com/5b0d4CMVep
BRICS Member Countries
As of 2026, BRICS has 11 full member countries. They are:
| No. | BRICS Member Country |
| 1 | Brazil |
| 2 | China |
| 3 | Egypt |
| 4 | Ethiopia |
| 5 | India |
| 6 | Indonesia |
| 7 | Iran |
| 8 | Russia |
| 9 | Saudi Arabia |
| 10 | South Africa |
| 11 | United Arab Emirates (UAE) |
These 11 countries are listed as BRICS members on the official BRICS India 2026 website.
BRICS Partner Countries
BRICS also has a Partner Country category. According to the official BRICS India 2026 website, 10 countries joined as Partner Countries in 2025.
| No. | Partner Country |
| 1 | Belarus |
| 2 | Bolivia |
| 3 | Cuba |
| 4 | Kazakhstan |
| 5 | Malaysia |
| 6 | Nigeria |
| 7 | Thailand |
| 8 | Uganda |
| 9 | Uzbekistan |
| 10 | Vietnam |
The official website lists these countries under BRICS Partner Countries.
Why is BRICS Important?
BRICS brings together countries from different parts of the world. The group is important because its members work together on many global and regional issues.
According to the official BRICS India 2026 website, BRICS members together account for about 49.5% of the world's population, 40% of global GDP and 26% of global trade.
This gives BRICS an important role in discussions about the world economy and global governance.
Main Objectives of BRICS
BRICS has several important objectives.
1. Promote Cooperation
BRICS encourages member countries to work together and share ideas.
2. Support Economic Cooperation
The countries cooperate on areas such as trade, finance, investment and economic development.
3. Discuss Global Issues
BRICS provides a place to discuss important global and regional issues.
4. Strengthen the Voice of Developing Countries
The group gives emerging and developing countries a platform to discuss their interests in global affairs.
5. Encourage Peace and Security
BRICS also discusses political and security matters, including issues related to terrorism.
6. Promote Sustainable Development
The members discuss subjects such as climate change, energy security and food security.
Areas of Cooperation in BRICS
BRICS cooperation has grown over the years. The official BRICS India 2026 website groups its work into three main pillars.
| Main Area | What it Means |
| Political and Security | Countries discuss political and security matters |
| Economy and Finance | Countries cooperate on trade, finance and economic issues |
| Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges | People, students and organisations can build connections and share culture |
First BRICS Summit
The first BRIC Summit was held in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia. At that time, the group was called BRIC, because South Africa had not yet joined.
The four countries taking part were:
-
Brazil
-
Russia
-
India
-
China
South Africa joined later, and the group became BRICS.
First BRIC Summit
| Detail | Information |
| Year | 2009 |
| Place | Yekaterinburg, Russia |
| Group name at that time | BRIC |
| Countries | Brazil, Russia, India and China |
| South Africa | Joined later |
BRICS is an important international group of emerging and developing countries. It started as BRIC with Brazil, Russia, India and China.
The first BRIC Summit was held in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia. South Africa later joined, making the name BRICS.
Since then, the group has expanded further. Today, BRICS has 11 full members and also has Partner Countries. Its members cooperate in areas such as economy, finance, security, trade, climate change, health, education, science and culture.
For students, the easiest way to remember BRICS is:
BRICS = Countries working together on important global and economic issues.
Prabhat Mishra is a Subject Matter Expert and digital journalist with an extensive background in the competitive exam landscape and over 4 years of experience in education, national and international news, and current affairs. Over his tenure with top knowledge platforms like Mentorship India, IAS BABA, IAS SARTHI, and now Jagran Josh, he has a deep understanding of government exams like UPSC and State PCS, including UP and Bihar, as he has already qualified for the UPPCS 2022 Mains and Bihar 68th Mains. With his core expertise in history, polity, geography & current affairs, he specialises in creating well-researched, aspirant-centric content and simplifying complex topics for competitive examinations.
