# How BRICS membership evolved

Explainer · Updated 2026-09-07 · Second in the reading path  
Canonical: https://whatisbrics.org/articles/membership-evolution/

Membership is the most commonly garbled BRICS fact. The safe method is chronological: who sat at the first summit, who was added by a named invitation, and which later statuses are still political rather than completed.

## The original core

Brazil, Russia, India, and China held the first BRIC summit in Yekaterinburg on 16 June 2009. South Africa was invited in late 2010 and attended the Sanya summit in 2011 as a full member. Country files: [BRICS Nations’ membership note](https://bricsnations.org/membership/).

## The 2023 invitations and the 2024 wave

The Johannesburg summit in August 2023 invited Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. On 1 January 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE were widely reported as having become members. Argentina declined in December 2023.

**Uncertain: Saudi Arabia.** Invited in 2023; subsequent official language has been cautious. Until a Saudi instrument of accession or an unambiguous joint statement is on the record, treat Saudi membership as invited, not confirmed here.

## Later joiners and the partner category

Indonesia was widely reported as a full member from January 2025. The Kazan summit in October 2024 announced a partner-country category. Published lists have moved; cite the summit document for a dated roster.

Bank membership is a separate track. See the [New Development Bank](https://whatisbrics.org/articles/new-development-bank/).

## Conflict context — inbound only

- [Russia–Ukraine briefing](https://armedconflicts.org/russia-ukraine-war.html)
- [Strait of Hormuz crisis](https://armedconflicts.org/strait-of-hormuz-crisis.html)
- [politicalviolencemap.com](https://politicalviolencemap.com)

Expansion politics: [BRICS Policy’s summit-outcomes note](https://bricspolicy.org/articles/summits-outcomes/). Diplomatic process: [foreigndiplomacy.org](https://foreigndiplomacy.org).