Indonesia defends joining BRICS, vows to be ‘bridge-builder' amid shifting alliances

- Indonesia admitted as 11th member of BRICS

- Jakarta remains active in 'preventing further escalations to geo-economic and geopolitical rivalry,' says Sugion

Indonesia on Friday defended joining the BRICS bloc and vowed to be a “bridge-builder” amid shifting global alliances.

Foreign Minister Sugiono said Jakarta's joining the bloc is to “cool down the global economic rivalry,” Jakarta Global reported.

Admitting Jakarta as a full member of BRICS “reflects Indonesia's free and active foreign policy,” the foreign minister, who goes by his single name, told reporters.

It was his first annual interaction with the media since being tapped as the top diplomat by President Prabowo Subianto in October.

A statement came after Brazil announced Monday the official entry of Indonesia as a full member of the bloc.

Brazil is the current chair of the bloc which has 11 full members including China, Egypt, Russia, India, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Iran and Indonesia.

Indonesia's membership was approved at a summit in Johannesburg in August 2023 and formalized after the formation of the country's new government last year.

The bloc also admitted at least 13 “Partner Countries” since a summit in the city of Kazan in Russia last year. Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan are among the new partner countries of the bloc.

In his first-ever annual address as foreign minister, Sugiono defended Indonesia's BRICS membership.

He said Indonesia's membership was “not something that we achieve overnight.

“It is the fruit of decades-long work of Indonesia's resilience and consistency in foreign diplomacy,” he added.

“As a BRICS member, Indonesia wants to become a bridge-builder for the interests of developing economies and the Indo-Pacific nations. We will continue to remain active in preventing further escalations to geo-economic and geopolitical rivalry,” said Sugiono.

Prabowo said joining BRICS “was part of his intention” to have the Southeast Asian economic powerhouse “befriend everyone.”

Indonesia's BRICS membership comes at a time when a great power rivalry is at play in Southeast Asia where the US and China have worked to expand their influence.Currently, BRICS accounts for 40% of the world's population and 35% of global GDP, making it a significant player on the geopolitical stage. Its membership continues to grow, with 13 nations joining as partner countries since October.