UPSC Prelims 2025 Q97: 16th BRICS Summit Kazan & Indonesia — Explained

Consider the following statements with regard to BRICS:

I. 16th BRICS Summit was held under the Chairship of Russia in Kazan.

II. Indonesia has become a full member of BRICS.

III. The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit was Strengthening Multiculturalism for Just Global Development and Security.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. I and II
  2. II and III
  3. I and III
  4. I only

Answer: (a) I and II

Statement-wise explanation

  • I: correct — Russia held the BRICS chair in 2024. It hosted the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan from 22 to 24 October 2024. PIB's release on Prime Minister Modi's participation says the summit was held 'under Russia's Chairship, in Kazan', and the leaders adopted the Kazan Declaration there.
  • II: correct — Brazil held the BRICS chair in 2025. On 6 January 2025 it announced that Indonesia had become a full member, with the consent of all existing members. Indonesia is the first Southeast Asian full member. When President Prabowo Subianto was Chief Guest at Republic Day 2025, Prime Minister Modi welcomed Indonesia's BRICS membership at their joint press conference on 25 January 2025.
  • III: incorrect — The theme of the Kazan summit, which is also the title of the Kazan Declaration, was 'Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security'. The statement swaps 'Multilateralism' for 'Multiculturalism'. Multilateralism means countries working together through shared institutions and rules, and BRICS uses it to push for reform of the UN, IMF and World Bank. Multiculturalism is about cultural diversity inside a society, which a summit theme would not normally be about.

How to eliminate

Statement I is the anchor. Russia's 2024 BRICS chairship and the Kazan summit (October 2024) were in the news for weeks, mainly because of the Modi–Xi meeting there. Once you accept I, only the options that contain I are left: 'I and II', 'I and III' and 'I only'. Statement III is the classic one-word swap. BRICS calls itself a forum for reforming global governance, so its themes use words like 'multilateralism', 'inclusive' and 'Global South'. 'Multiculturalism' does not fit that vocabulary. Rejecting III leaves 'I and II' and 'I only'. Deciding between them needs one fact: Indonesia became a full BRICS member on 6 January 2025, under Brazil's chairship. It is not just a 'partner country', the new category created at Kazan. UPSC often tests exactly this member-versus-partner difference, so learn the current full-member list.

Know more

BRICS: from BRIC to BRICS+

  • Origin: BRIC foreign ministers first met in 2006. The first leaders' summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. South Africa joined in 2010, which turned BRIC into BRICS.
  • First expansion (2024): Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE joined from 1 January 2024. Saudi Arabia was invited but has not formally confirmed membership.
  • Indonesia (6 January 2025): became a full member under Brazil's chairship.
  • Partner countries: the Kazan summit (2024) created a new 'partner country' tier. Partners attend some meetings but are not full members. Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan were among the first partners.
  • Institutions: the New Development Bank (Shanghai) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement. Both were agreed at the Fortaleza summit in 2014.
  • Chair rotation: the chair rotates in B-R-I-C-S order. The chair country hosts the summit and sets the theme.
Summit Year Chair / Venue Theme
15th 2023 South Africa, Johannesburg BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism
16th 2024 Russia, Kazan Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security
17th 2025 Brazil, Rio de Janeiro Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance
18th 2026 India, New Delhi Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability

The Kazan Declaration backed comprehensive reform of the UN, including the Security Council. It also supported more trade and financial settlement in local currencies and work on a BRICS cross-border payments initiative. This links to the wider debate on de-dollarisation.

India's 2026 theme is an acronym that spells B-R-I-C-S. When you revise summit themes, learn them word for word. UPSC tests them by changing a single word.

In the news

The 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan (October 2024) and Indonesia's admission as a full member (January 2025) both came in the year before the 2025 Prelims. Indonesia's admission was in the news again when President Prabowo was Chief Guest at India's Republic Day in 2025.

NCERT Concepts to Revise

  • Multilateralism: Statement III quotes a summit theme. Knowing what multilateralism means helps you recall and check the exact wording of BRICS themes.
  • De-dollarisation: The Kazan Declaration's push for local-currency settlement and a BRICS payments system is part of the de-dollarisation debate.

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