The BRICS+ summit kicking off in host nation Brazil has been overshadowed by United States President Donald Trump's global tariff measures and the notable absence of two key nations' leaders.
For the first time since assuming power in 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping missed the annual BRICS gathering entirely, sending Prime Minister Li Qiang in his place.
Russian President Vladimir Putin dialled in via videoconference, continuing his pattern of avoiding international travel due to the ICC arrest warrant hanging over his head.
The absence of two heavyweight leaders at the Rio summit spurred questions about BRICS' ability to function as a cohesive counterweight to Western-dominated institutions.
Multilateral stance
The group's carefully worded 31-page declaration condemned rising tariffs "inconsistent with WTO rules", without naming the obvious target - Donald Trump's administration.
It also criticised attacks on Iran, yet avoided mention of the U.S. or Israel.
Ukraine received just a single mention despite Russia's ongoing invasion, with the bloc instead condemning "in the strongest terms" Ukrainian attacks on Russia.
The BRICS bloc emerged from the wreckage of the 2008 financial crisis as a geopolitical mechanism more ambitious than a mere economic forum.
What began as an acronym coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill to describe fast-growing economies, it's morphed into a deliberate challenge to the Western-dominated international order.
Host of the 2025 summit Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva focused on less controversial issues like trade relations between member nations and global health.
The strategy seemingly reflected Brazil's desire - like many other nations - to avoid becoming a target of Trump's threatened 100% tariffs against BRICS nations.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi pushed for stronger condemnation of Israel and expressed reservations about the two-state solution that other members have endorsed.
Expanding influence?
The summit's agenda - covering everything from artificial intelligence to climate change - stretched across topics that highlighted the bloc's diverse priorities rather than a shared vision.
That's because BRICS has expanded from its original five members (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to include Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE, plus 10 ‘strategic partner countries’.
Together, they represent more than a quarter of the global economy and over half the world's population.
“We recognise that multipolarity can create opportunities for developing countries and emerging markets (DCEMs) to realise their constructive potential and benefit from inclusive and equitable economic globalisation and cooperation that is universally advantageous," the leaders said in a joint statement.
"We want to emphasise the importance of the Global South as a driver of positive change, especially amid significant international challenges - including escalating geopolitical tensions, economic slowdown, accelerated technological transformation, protectionist measures and migration challenges.”
João Alfredo Nyegray, an international business professor at the Pontifical Catholic University in Parana, noted the summit's missed opportunity in the absence of China and Russia's leaders.
"The withdrawal of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the uncertainty about representation levels confirm the difficulty for BRICS to establish themselves as a cohesive pole of global leadership," he said.