BRICS leaders

BRICS leaders are the presidents and prime ministers of the member states of the BRICS grouping, which began as BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) in 2009 and added South Africa in 2010. The leaders convene at an annual BRICS Summit, hosted on a rotating basis, where they issue a joint declaration setting out shared positions on global governance, finance, development, and security.

At the 15th Summit in Johannesburg in August 2023, BRICS leaders announced an expansion inviting Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to join from 1 January 2024. Argentina subsequently declined under the Milei government. Saudi Arabia's formal accession status has been described ambiguously by different members. At the 16th Summit in Kazan, hosted by Russia in October 2024, leaders also introduced a "partner country" category.

The summit format typically includes:

• A closed leaders' retreat for candid discussion
• Plenary sessions producing a final declaration
• Outreach segments ("BRICS Plus" or "BRICS+") with invited non-member heads of state, often from the Global South
• Bilateral meetings on the margins

Recurring themes in leaders' declarations include reform of the UN Security Council and Bretton Woods institutions, expanding use of national currencies in trade, support for the New Development Bank (established 2014, headquartered in Shanghai), and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement. Leaders have also addressed conflicts including the war in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza, though wording is typically negotiated to accommodate divergent member positions — notably between Russia and China on one side and India and Brazil on the other.

Decisions are taken by consensus, and BRICS has no founding treaty or permanent secretariat, meaning leaders' summits function as the grouping's principal decision-making mechanism. The chair rotates annually; Brazil holds the 2025 chairmanship and hosted the 17th Summit in Rio de Janeiro in July 2025.