BRICS leaders have decided to enlarge the group of key emerging economies by establishing entry criteria, according to South Africa. The expansion initiative was a primary topic at the three-day Johannesburg summit, unveiling some discord among members. China, aiming to rapidly bolster BRICS in competition with the U.S., faces reservations from India about its geopolitical goals. Notably, around two dozen countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, which represents 40% of the world’s inhabitants and a quarter of the global economy. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed the move towards expanding the BRICS family. Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised that an expanded bloc would foster more equitable global governance. The BRICS nations, diverse in economic size and governance models, jointly seek to challenge the predominant Western-led global order.