BRICS in Transition: A Critical Analysis of Opportunities and Challenges within an Emerging Global Order

Abstract

This research critically examines the transition of BRICS into an expanded bloc incorporating Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, amid a changing global order. The study focused on the puzzle, how BRICS, with its growing diversity in economic priorities, political ideologies and development levels, can maintain internal cohesion and effectively address global governance challenges. Employing a mixed-method approach that combines quantitative analysis of GDP growth, FDI flows and trade volumes with qualitative analysis of policy documents and expert opinions, the article highlights the bloc’s growing strategic influence in trade, energy, and geopolitical affairs. Findings suggest that while the inclusion of resource-rich and strategically located nations enhances BRICS’s leverage in fostering a multipolar world order, however, ideological diversity, regional rivalries and power asymmetries pose significant risks to cohesion. The study argues that BRICS’s ability to reshape global governance will depend on establishing flexible, consensus-driven decision-making frameworks and leveraging South-South cooperation.