As Pakistan made a formal request to join the BRICS last year India may yield to the move at the group’s summit that kicked off in Russia’s Kazan, on Tuesday, reports the Dawn.
As new members are admitted by consensus, India’s opposition had worried the other founding members of BRICS.
In November 2023, the foreign office spokesperson had told a newsman that Pakistan sought to join the leading Global South bloc, claiming that the country had warm ties with “most” BRICS members. Since then, the likelihood of India’s acceptance of Pakistan’s membership has been speculated in the media on both sides of the border.
The chances brightened after Russia’s deputy prime minister Alexei gave public support to Pakistan’s membership of BRICS during his visit to Islamabad in September.
A report in India’s Tribune newspaper on Tuesday gave further credence to the possibility, as India’s Narendra Modi reached Kazan, ahead of the opening of the summit and held bilateral talks with Russina president Vladimir Putin.
The alliance that initially included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa has expanded rapidly to embrace Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
After Pakistan’s application for the membership in August last year, Turkiye, Azerbaijan and Malaysia have also formally applied to become members, and a few others have expressed interest in joining.
Now significant progress in the latest border talks between India and China may become the sweetener in the bargain, given the special relations Islamabad has with Beijing.
“We believe that by joining BRICS, Pakistan can play an important role in furthering international cooperation and revitalising inclusive multilateralism.
We also hope that BRICS will move forward on Pakistan’s request in line with its commitment to inclusive multilateralism,“ Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the foreign office spokesperson in Islamabad, had said.
Last month, Russia’s deputy prime minister Alexei Overchuk held formal talks with Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar and said Moscow would favour Pakistan’s inclusion in BRICS.
Bd-Pratidin English/ Afsar Munna
