Six new members joined the group in the first expansion since 2010. The new alignment shows the desire of intermediate countries to play a bigger role in international affairs in a great awakening of international political awareness.

During a BRICS meeting in Johannesburg, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mistakenly claimed that India had landed on China when referring to the moon's southern region. This slip of the tongue inadvertently highlights the challenges of international cooperation, including territorial disputes, and contrasts the ease of space exploration with struggles to resolve Earthly conflicts.

With its expanded membership, the BRICS group has raised expectations for the Global South. It will promote democracy in international relations and ultimately achieve the goal of rebalancing the global power structure.

China strongly supported the South African government as it convened the summit under unprecedented political pressure, aiming not only to strengthen the bilateral relationship but also to build relations with other African countries in the “BRICS Year.”

The pressure toward diversifying world currency reserves has been building for a long time. It intensified after the 2008 financial crisis but has escalated even more since 2022. Diversification of currency reserves is expected to be a major topic at the upcoming BRICS Summit, which will likely further intensify this trend.

The pressure toward the diversification of world currency reserves is longstanding. It intensified after 2008, but has escalated since 2022. It is a prime topic in the next BRICS Summit that’s likely to further intensify the trend.

Interstate political relations are changing the dynamics of the international system. China’s relationship with Russia has become a tool for balancing the shifting pres-sures. But no country can predict the consequences of war. Staying out of it may be the best way to maximize gains.

As the U.S. seeks to advance its position and strengthen the U.S. dollar global dominance, it is also facing challenges and an anti-hegemonic sentiment from other states. Events such as the war in Ukraine, tensions between the U.S., Russia, and China, as well as new strategic partnerships developed between China and Europe, Latin America, and Africa, are driving forces in the shift of balance of power to non-Western nations.

It’s been a few months since China hosted the virtual BRICS Summit over the summer, but the group is continuing their efforts to bring the summit’s theme to reality: “foster high-quality BRICS partnership” and “usher in a new era for global development.”

The systemic challenge for the U.S. is not China but the worst inflation in 40 years. In fact, fragmentation does not seem to be happening in the real world. Even an Asia-Pacific version of NATO will not likely divide the region, as China will continue to be a major trade partner.