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Indonesia Joins BRICS: Weighing The Pros And Cons Amid Global Political Landscape

Since January 6, 2025, Indonesia has officially joined as the 10th member of the BRICS economic group, which plays a significant role in the global economy. The main members include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Indonesia's membership in BRICS is expected to bring numerous benefits in areas such as economy, trade, currency stability, and international diplomacy. However, this membership also comes with risks. This topic was discussed by several experts during a public forum titled “BRICS: Evaluating Indonesia's Steps,” organized by the Alumni Association of International Relations at Padjadjaran University (IKAHI Unpad) in Jakarta on January 18.

Speaking at the online discussion, Indonesia's Ambassador to Russia, Jose Antonio Morato Tavares, outlined the various benefits and challenges Indonesia may face from this membership, particularly in economic and geopolitical aspects. According to Jose, BRICS presents a significant opportunity to enhance Indonesia's trade and market access.

"Currently, 62% of Indonesia's total palm oil production is imported by BRICS member countries. With BRICS accounting for 45% of the world's population—around 900 million people—this membership provides a large market access and facilitates trade among its members," said Jose Antonio Morato Tavares.

Jose also highlighted that BRICS holds 35% of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) based on purchasing power parity, which is higher than the G7's 30%. Nevertheless, he cautioned about the need for vigilance in facing the challenges of the currently sluggish global economy.

In geopolitical terms, Indonesia has the potential to act as a bridge between BRICS and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which is dominated by Western countries.

Indonesia applied to become a member of the OECD in 2024, but its membership has not yet been approved. With an active and independent foreign policy, Indonesia emphasizes that the benefits of BRICS are economic and do not alter its political stance.

"This bridge is effective because of our independent foreign policy," said Jose Antonio Morato Tavares. Siradj Parwito, Assistant Deputy for Price Stabilization at the Food Coordinating Ministry, supports Indonesia's move to join BRICS. He referred to the New Development Bank (NDB)—the BRICS development bank—as an alternative funding source for Indonesia's development projects. "NDB funds can be used for high-risk projects that are hard to attract private investors, like geothermal energy projects. The key is to make them bankable. With this funding, our high-risk projects can be restructured to be more appealing to investors," explained Siradj, who is also an alumnus of International Relations at Unpad.

Criticism of the Decision-Making Process

Despite the apparent benefits of BRICS, there are criticisms regarding the Indonesian government's decision-making process. Irman Gurmilang Lanti, a lecturer in Foreign Policy at the International Relations Department of Universitas Padjadjaran, believes this policy was made without sufficient public discussion. He noted that debates arose only after Indonesia applied to join BRICS. "What is this? The pros and cons are only being discussed now. It’s like the cart pulling the horse, meaning the decision was announced before a thorough analysis was done," Irman explained.

Before considering BRICS, Indonesia, under President Jokowi, was applying to the OECD. However, there was no clarity on that status when suddenly, under Prabowo, Indonesia applied to BRICS and was accepted. If forced to choose between BRICS and OECD, Irman believes Indonesia would be better off joining the OECD to enhance its reputation in an increasingly competitive global economy.

Tag: BRICS Global Political