Key Milestones in the History of BRICS

The years 1996 to 1998 marked the beginning of the “Strategic Triangle of Russia, India, and China.” This period laid the groundwork for new cooperation among emerging powers. Although BRICS has similarities with the G7 and G20, the 2008 financial crisis reshaped the global economic order, giving this group a distinct path.

Early Ideas and the Formation of the BRICS Concept

In 2001, a member of the U.S. Congress proposed an idea similar to BRICS. While not the founder, this vision reflected a global tendency toward multilateral cooperation. At the same time, Russia sought to improve relations with the West after the Soviet collapse but did not achieve the desired results.

Yevgeny Primakov proposed uniting emerging powers including India, China, and Brazil to establish a new multipolar structure as an alternative to the unipolar Western approach. Countries like China and India, despite historical disagreements, had to set aside some differences to achieve a better future—a process that took about a decade.

First Meeting of Foreign Ministers (2006)

The first informal meeting of BRICS foreign ministers took place in 2006. During this decade, Russia, participating in the G8, closely observed Western countries’ behavior and concluded that cooperation with emerging economies was more effective. Russia aimed to clarify the path and objectives of this cooperation for China and India.

First BRICS Summit (2009)

The first BRICS leaders’ summit was held in 2009 in Yekaterinburg. This event marked the official start of systematic cooperation within BRICS and laid the foundation for consolidating the group’s role in the global economy and politics.