China is among the countries expressing willingness to support Sri Lanka’s future membership in the BRICS coalition, which represents around 37.3% of the global GDP based on purchasing power parity.
Sri Lanka officially submitted its request to join BRICS during the summit held in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024.
Although Sri Lanka’s application has been noted, BRICS currently has no immediate plans for expansion, and the request will be considered at a later stage.
In recent expansions, BRICS welcomed Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE in October 2024, with Indonesia joining as the tenth member in January 2025.
Under Brazil’s current chairmanship, BRICS is focusing on trade facilitation, AI regulation, climate change financing, and public health cooperation.
While Russia and India have shown openness to supporting Sri Lanka’s entry in the future, tensions are rising as BRICS seeks alternatives to the US dollar, prompting the US under President Donald Trump to threaten 100% tariffs on BRICS trade, leading Sri Lanka to seek relief through diplomatic talks with the US.
