During the 15th BRICS summit held in Johannesburg, a significant announcement reshaped geopolitics. The existing BRICS alliance, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, extended invitations to six additional countries: Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Ethiopia, and Argentina. This expansion underscores BRICS' growing influence in international relations.BRICS shares a vision of a multipolar world order, rejecting the dominance of two powers and advocating for strategic autonomy, a fair global governance system, and representation in international institutions. They have criticized Western-dominated organizations like the IMF and World Bank for their unequal voting power. However, BRICS has faced criticism for lacking a cohesive vision and producing limited tangible results.Nevertheless, since 2009, BRICS has engaged in comprehensive interactions, established alternatives to Western-dominated institutions (New Development Bank and Contingent Reserve Arrangement), promoted local currencies in trade, and called for global governance reforms. With the expansion, BRICS gains significant economic power, particularly in the energy sector, strengthening its geopolitical significance in various regions.In
essence, BRICS' expansion marks a pivotal moment in modern history, challenging the existing world order and asserting its strategic autonomy in international relations
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