ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has shown interest in joining the BRICS bloc several times and now Islamabad got Beijing’s back as the country’s strategic partner calls for making BRICS a geopolitical rival to the G-7 group.
BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) brings together 5 developing nations, representing 41pc of the global population, and 24 percent of the global GDP.
As Beijing wants Islamabad to be integrated into the BRICS alliance, New Delhi opposed broadening the bloc’s membership.
In a recent development, China called for expanding the BRICS coalition to include more developing nations, including Pakistan. The idea was soon opposed by India, as New Delhi feared it could dilute the BRIC’s core objectives and consensus built among its existing members.
India also stands when Belarus formally sought entry into the BRICS group.
Pakistan, and many other nations including Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, expressed their interest in joining the bloc, and all aspirations were slated for discussion at the upcoming BRICS summit in South Africa later this year.
In the past, Islamabad blamed New Delhi, without naming, for obstructing its participation in a virtual meeting held during the bloc’s recent summit hosted by Beijing.
