Generation BRICS

Russian standardisation agency reports BRICS nations' interest in Russian standards

Many BRICS countries have shown interest in adopting Russian standards—known as GOSTs—across various sectors. According to Anton Shalaev, Head of Rosstandart, Russian national standardisation agency, India is actively implementing Russian GOSTs in the field of artificial intelligence.

"Last year, during Russia's #BRICS Chairship, we established a cooperation format that allows interested member states to access each other's standards. India is actively engaged in this process and is already applying our standards in artificial intelligence," Shalaev stated.

He also noted that Chinese partners have expressed interest in a range of Russian standards. The current list of mutually recognised standards includes GOSTs related to aircraft manufacturing, coal product specifications and testing methods, digital twins for products, and testing procedures for food items like vegetable oils.

#NEWS #technology

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In touch with BRICS: news digest

BRICS in motion—capturing most consequential developments

⚪BRICS Expert Council-Russia experts attend ORF strategic conference in the UAE

⚪Why New Zealand joining BRICS makes sense in Trump’s ‘America-first’ era

⚪Trump claims all countries are leaving BRICS due to US tariff threats

⚪Russia supports republic’s bid to join to #BRICS

⚪Lavrov: Trump not yet making steps to restore confidence in dollar

⚪Egypt aims to expand use of national currencies in BRICS trade

#BRICSExpertCouncilDIGEST

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Word of the Week: Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA), Ethiopia

The Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA) is Ethiopia's national think tank specialising in international relations and diplomacy. Its mission is to study foreign policy issues, produce analytical materials for policymakers and diplomats, and train the next generation of international relations specialists.

By 2032, IFA aims to rank among Africa's top 🕊 think tanks, recognised for its research, training, and consulting in foreign policy and international cooperation.

The Institute’s core activities include:
✔Conducting research and developing alternative foreign policy solutions
✔Offering educational programmes and professional development for diplomats and specialists
✔Promoting expert and academic cooperation across Africa and beyond
✔Strengthening professional competencies and standards in foreign policy

IFA is committed to widely accepted international ethical principles and is guided by its own core values:
⚪Patriotism
⚪Professional excellence
⚪Proactiveness
⚪Confidentiality
⚪Collaboration
⚪Problem-solving
⚪New perspective
⚪Trustworthy

These principles help IFA contribute to the development of modern Ethiopian diplomacy and to strengthening the #BRICS Expert Track.

#wordoftheweek

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❗️Russia wants to deepen nuclear cooperation with countries of the Global South through BRICS: Putin

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🔸 Sputnik Africa | X 🔸

🇧🇷 Will the current attacks by the US president help to build the Brazilian nation, or even the BRICS?

As Napoleon allegedly said, ‘You should not interrupt an enemy when he is making a mistake’. 

However, Brazil’s challenges in resuming a ‘proud and active’ foreign policy are still enormous. For example, it would be necessary to rebuild our capacity to finance – and build – infrastructure projects in the Latin America and the Caribbean.

Brazil lacks a popular national project capable of sealing a strategic pact between sectors of the elite interested in the country’s reindustrialisation and popular sectors, mediated by a state capable of leading a sovereign development project, Marco Fernandes writes. Still, it has a chance to resume a ‘proud and active’ foreign policy.

https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/the-international-order-is-over-what-now-brazil/

#Globalization_and_Sovereignity #Brazil

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The BRICS Expert Council-Russia extends warm birthday greetings to Prabowo Subianto, President of the Republic of Indonesia! 

Under your leadership, Indonesia is making steady progress in strengthening its sovereignty, advancing economic growth, and ensuring social stability. The country is actively developing its international partnerships and contributing significantly to the emergence of a fair and multipolar world. 

Russia deeply values the friendly relations and mutual understanding with Indonesia, which are grounded in our shared commitment to sustainable development, mutual respect, and equality. 

We wish Mr Subianto good health, inspiration, and further successes for the benefit of the Indonesian people and for the deepening of cooperation within #BRICS.

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Egypt aims to expand use of national currencies in BRICS trade

Egypt highly values its participation in BRICS and is focused on increasing the use of national currencies for mutual settlements and trade. This was stated by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty during a briefing in New Delhi.

"BRICS is a highly significant economic group, and we are proud to be a part of it and to contribute," he said. "We aim to bring value, especially by promoting the use of national currencies in commercial transactions and through our cooperation with the New Development Bank in Shanghai."

The minister added that during his visit to New Delhi, he held detailed discussions on BRICS with his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, as India is set to assume the group's chairship next year.

"We exchanged many ideas on how to revitalise #BRICS and deliver concrete outcomes, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence and new opportunities for youth startups," Abdelatty noted.

#NEWS #finance

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Africa Has 'Very Big Untapped Potential': Ethiopian Logistics Leader Outlines Path to Intra-Trade Growth & Self-Reliance

Africa, with its 1.3 billion people, needs to prioritize internal trade, Dawit Woubshet, President of Ethiopian Freight Forwarders and Shipping Agents Association, told Sputnik Africa at the Africa Maritime Conference.

The continent’s heavy reliance on raw material exports and limited intra-African commerce are major obstacles to growth, he noted.

Woubshet stressed the need for Africa to add value to its resources and trade finished goods within the continent instead of importing them. He acknowledged that disorganization, weak collaboration, and a lack of trust among African nations hinder joint ventures.

👉 The African Continental Free Trade Area, the expert noted, offers a crucial opportunity to boost trade, knowledge-sharing, and connectivity, such as using the Ethiopian Shipping Line to serve landlocked countries.

🏳️ He also highlighted Ethiopia’s BRICS membership as a strategic advantage, noting the potential benefits of partnering with economic powerhouses like Russia, China, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

Woubshet pointed to the BRICS bank as a source of:

🟠technology,
🟠infrastructure investment,
🟠digital resources,
🟠vital capital for developing nations.

Watch the video to see how Africa can build a unified voice regarding its logistics and maritime. 👆

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🔸 Sputnik Africa | X 🔸

Lavrov: Trump not yet making steps to restore confidence in dollar

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the future of the US dollar remains uncertain, noting that US President Donald Trump has not yet taken action to rebuild trust in this currency.

"It's difficult to predict what will happen with the dollar now. Donald Trump, back in office, has so far taken no steps to restore confidence in it. The shift away from the dollar continues within #BRICS, the #SCO, and #CELAC. Brazilian President Luiz Lula da Silva is a strong proponent of creating alternative payment platforms. I’ll reiterate that, at our initiative, work is already underway in BRICS to establish these platforms and develop 'reinsurance' mechanisms," Lavrov said.

#NEWS #finance

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Russian Ambassador to Zimbabwe: Russia supports republic’s bid to join to BRICS

Russia supports Zimbabwe’s application to become part of BRICS. The statement was made by Russian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Nikolay Krasilnikov.

"Russia strongly supports Zimbabwe’s keen interest in engaging with #BRICS. There are several levels of involvement, and it’s up to Zimbabwe to choose its path—whether as an observer, an invited participant at the next summit in India or by focusing on joining the New Development Bank," said the diplomat.

Krasilnikov added that Zimbabwe's foreign policy, founded on the principle of being "a friend to all and an enemy to none," aligns well with the group's values. He also described the nation as "a significant force on the global stage."

#NEWS #Zimbabwe

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Trump claims all countries are leaving BRICS due to US tariff threats

US President Donald Trump believes his threats to impose tariffs on the BRICS nations have proven effective. He made this statement while fielding questions from reporters during a meeting with Argentine Prime Minister Javier Milei at the White House.

According to Trump, the #BRICS countries are allegedly "an attack on the dollar".

"I told anybody who wants to be in BRICS, that's fine, but we're going to put tariffs on your nation. Everybody dropped out. They're all dropping out of BRICS," the US leader claimed.

#NEWS #sanctions

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Why New Zealand joining BRICS makes sense in Trump’s ‘America-first’ era

BRICS represents a rising economic and diplomatic force. According to Chris Ogden writing for the South China Morning Post, joining the group could help New Zealand broaden its diplomatic reach and secure its long-term future.

Amid a deepening crisis of the old world order—accelerated by US President Donald Trump’s attacks on free trade, international bodies, and human rights—small states like New Zealand are being compelled to rethink their foreign policy and diversify their alliances.

As long-term economic and diplomatic influence tilts toward Asia and the Indo-Pacific, alternative multilateral groups are gaining growing importance.

The most significant of these is #BRICS, which is evolving into an increasingly mature and potentially dominant centre of global economic power. Whether New Zealand will actively consider BRICS membership remains an open question, but the group already includes major nations that are critically important to New Zealand’s future.

This article reflects the author’s personal views and may not align with the position of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia.

#OPINION #politics

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BRICS 2.0 amplifies a 'Non-West', not 'Anti-West' trend

BRICS has drawn significant attention in recent years for several reasons: its membership expansion, its exploration of alternatives to post-WWII multilateral institutions, its discussions of a common currency, and the criticism it has attracted from Washington—particularly since Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025.

In a unique collaborative effort, this Working Paper combines analysis from scholars and institutions representing all 🕊🕊 countries of the expanded BRICS.

The analysis concludes that #BRICS 2.0:
➖amplifies a ‘non-West’, not ‘anti-West’ trend;
➖is likely to grow in both membership and influence;
➖has the potential to serve as a bridge between the Global South and North;
➖will likely remain primarily an economic group;
➖needs to become more agile and deliver on its potential or risk losing new members who will look for greener pastures;
➖must remain undeterred by US pressure and threats;
➖could expand further and faster, as well as become stronger, amid US’s unpredictable economic and foreign policies;
➖and should encourage the West to convert the perceived challenges into opportunities.

📎 Read the publication

#ANALYTICS

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We are glad to share key insights by Tatiana Shaumyan, Candidate of Sciences (PhD) in History and Head of the Centre for Indian Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, from her lecture "Unravelling the Mysteries of Bharat" at Inostranka.

⚪"India" and "Bharat" are both official names under the constitution, with "Bharat" being the ancient indigenous term deeply rooted in the culture.

⚪India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories. The national Parliament holds the authority to redraw the federal map and create new administrative units.

⚪The Indian Constitution is the most comprehensive and detailed fundamental national law. Its preamble defines the nation as a "sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic."

⚪While the caste system itself cannot be legally abolished, discrimination based on caste is prohibited.

⚪India is one of the world's "youngest" nations, with around 70% of its population under the age of 30.

⚪The country maintains leadership in electronics and software, remaining one of the largest global exporters in these sectors.

⚪A quarter of the world's pharmaceuticals, ranging from generics to pharmaceutical ingredients, are produced in India.

⚪Expectations for India's upcoming #BRICS Chairship include the introduction of new cooperation formats and "special ways" designed to benefit all member countries.

#EXPERT #inostranka

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Congratulations on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Uganda

This year marks the 63nd anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Uganda, established in 1962.

Through decades of cooperation, our countries have built a relationship founded on trust, mutual respect, and mutual support. Russia and Uganda collaborate effectively in education, energy, agriculture, healthcare, and science, developing projects focused on sustainable development and sharing best practices.

Political dialogue continues to strengthen, and our joint work in international organisations reflects shared approaches to key issues on the global agenda.

The BRICS Expert Council-Russia congratulates our Ugandan partners on this important occasion and wishes continued prosperity, stability, and success in our mutually beneficial cooperation!

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BRICS Expert Council-Russia experts attend ORF strategic conference in the UAE

Representatives from the BRICS Expert Council-Russia took part in the international conference Rethinking Connectivity: New Geographies, New Markets, New Infrastructure, organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with ORF Middle East and the Human Sciences Research Council in the United Arab Emirates.

The Russian delegation included Valeriia Gorbacheva, Deputy Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, and Igor Makarov, Head of the School of World Economy at HSE University.

During the event, the experts shared their perspectives on the evolution of global infrastructure, emerging trade routes, and the role of associations like #BRICS and the #G20 in promoting sustainable economic partnerships.

The participation of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia representatives underscored Russia's active engagement in building partnerships across Eurasia, Africa, and Latin America, as well as its commitment to helping shape a new framework for global connectivity.

@orftg

#NEWS #EXPERT #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #ORF

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