Pakistan has been knocking on BRICS’s door since 2023, yet despite repeated attempts and backing from some of the bloc’s biggest members, it remains firmly on the outside.
Economic Struggles Behind The Push
Pakistan’s interest in joining BRICS is driven largely by its economic troubles at home. The country’s GDP growth rate stood at just 3.70 per cent according to the Pakistan Economic Survey, a figure that reflects the pressure Islamabad is under to find new avenues of financial support. In a bid to diversify its options and cut reliance on institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Pakistan purchased a 580 million dollar stake in the BRICS-backed New Development Bank, a move reported by Nikkei Asia that signals how serious the country is about aligning itself with the bloc’s financial ecosystem.
BRICS’s Growing Global Weight
Pakistan’s application came at a time when BRICS was steadily gaining recognition as a leading voice for the Global South. The bloc expanded last year to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE, transforming into what is now often called BRICS Plus. Today, the grouping represents close to 49 per cent of the world’s population and around 40 per cent of global GDP on a purchasing power parity basis. India’s own trade ties with BRICS nations have grown sharply too, with exports to the bloc rising 48.8 per cent, climbing from 64.3 billion dollars to 95.7 billion dollars.
Islamabad’s Formal Bid For A Seat
Pakistan made its initial move in November 2023, with a spokesperson from Pakistan’s Foreign Office stating that the country maintained friendly ties with all but one of the BRICS nations and wanted to join the organization. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokesperson of the Foreign Office, called the BRICS a very significant grouping of developing nations and announced that Pakistan had made a formal application. Baloch stated that Pakistan saw itself as being capable of playing an important part in promoting international collaboration and multilateralism, hoping that the BRICS bloc would consider Pakistan’s application on the same lines.
In addition, Pakistan’s ambassador to Russia, Muhammad Khalid Jamali, told Russian news agency TASS that Pakistan was making active attempts to seek support from all member states, with special attention being paid to Russia.
Where India’s Veto Comes In?
Despite reportedly securing quiet backing from both Moscow and Beijing, Pakistan’s path into BRICS remains blocked. The bloc operates on a consensus based admission system, meaning any new member or partner country needs unanimous approval from every existing member. This is exactly where Pakistan’s bid hits a wall. New Delhi has consistently withheld its approval, and since consensus is non negotiable under BRICS rules, India’s opposition alone is enough to keep Islamabad out, regardless of support from other powerful members within the grouping.
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Khushi Patel is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX, covering automotive, technology, Lifestyle, entertainment, and mainstream news. She previously worked as a Copy Editor at Times Network and has written automotive editorial content, including comparison pieces, for TimesDrive.
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