Indonesia’s membership in BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) since January 6, 2025, marks a new chapter in Indonesia’s economic diplomacy and foreign policy.
On the other hand, Indonesia’s involvement in the Eurasian media alliance, especially through the BRICS TV network, which has established a partnership with Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI), encourages the strengthening of the cultural and information dimensions of Indonesia’s presence on the global stage, making it not just an economic actor but also a significant contributor in carrying out global narratives from a Global South perspective.
Economic Diversification and Market Access
One of Indonesia’s most pressing interests in joining BRICS is diversifying its trading partners and gaining market access. Indonesia’s reliance on traditional markets in Western countries and international financial institutions such as the IMF and World Bank has posed unique risks in the face of global economic turmoil. BRICS provides a tangible alternative. With full membership, Indonesia opens the door to trade expansion with member countries that collectively represent nearly half the world’s population. This is fundamentally in line with the findings of various studies showing that Indonesia utilizes BRICS as a means of diversifying export markets, providing alternative development financing, and strengthening its bargaining position in global forums.
Concretely, bilateral cooperation between Jakarta and Moscow within the BRICS framework has shown positive results. The value of non-oil and gas bilateral trade between Indonesia and Russia in the first quarter of 2026 reached approximately US$1 billion, an increase of 1.13 percent compared to the same period the previous year. Meanwhile, Indonesian exports to Russia in 2024 reached US$3.3 billion, a 13.38 percent increase. Therefore, through the BRICS PartNIR (Partnership on the New Industrial Revolution) 2026 forum in Xiamen, China, Indonesia and Russia will continue to strengthen cooperation in strategic industrial sectors, technological innovation, downstreaming, and the development of a more resilient and inclusive global supply chain. Indonesia is currently exploring bilateral investment agreements with other BRICS countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Iran, to expand international investment networks and create new economic opportunities.
Further, expanding access to financing through the NDB established by the BRICS is a significant added value. The NDB offers a more inclusive development financing mechanism and provides an alternative for developing countries that have historically relied heavily on Western financial institutions. Indonesia is currently completing its internal process to fully join the NDB, which is expected to support financing for infrastructure projects and sustainable national development within the country.
Strengthening Indonesia’s Strategic Autonomy and Geopolitical Position
Amidst increasingly heated geopolitical competition between major powers, Indonesia views the BRICS as a means to strengthen its independent and active foreign policy autonomy. Joining the BRICS is not a sign of siding with a particular pole, but rather a strategic move to maintain balance and reduce dependence on a single power bloc. Foreign Minister Sugiono previously emphasized that Indonesia will maintain its non-aligned position despite becoming a BRICS member, and this decision is part of the independent and active foreign policy that has long been the foundation of Indonesian diplomacy.
The presence of the BRICS is seen as a crucial pillar for global stability and a beacon of hope in an increasingly complex international geopolitical situation. As a country with a strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region, Indonesia plans to bridge the interests of developing countries and contribute to mitigating geopolitical and geoeconomic competition. Substantially, by becoming a member of BRICS, Indonesia gains space to voice the interests of developing countries on crucial global issues such as climate change, food security, and reform of the international financial system. BRICS empowers Indonesia to advocate for equitable global reforms and champion the perspective of the Global South while maintaining balanced relations with developed countries.
This aligns with Indonesia’s vision of promoting a multipolar world order, where economic and political power is no longer concentrated in the West but rather spread more evenly among emerging economies. The economic power of the East, with BRICS as its driving force, marks a movement toward a multipolar world, and for Indonesia, playing an active role in this process is crucial to safeguarding national interests amidst increasingly complex global dynamics.
Promoting Fairer Global Governance
Indonesia views the existence of BRICS in the new international order as a platform to continue pushing for global governance reform. At the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi in May 2026, Foreign Minister Sugiono emphasized that BRICS must be part of the solution, not polarization, and must be able to lead the enforcement of international law fairly without double standards. Indonesia further emphasized the importance of reforming the global trading system to be inclusive, open, and non-discriminatory, with the WTO as its primary foundation. The greatest value of BRICS, from Indonesia’s perspective, lies clearly in strengthening the voices of developing countries in shaping the future global order.
BRICS arose from the need to create global balance amidst the dominance of Western institutions such as the IMF and World Bank. In this context, Indonesia’s membership provides an opportunity to contribute to building a more inclusive economic order, championing issues such as sustainable development financing, eliminating global economic inequality, and reforming the international financial system. Indonesia’s presence also strengthens BRICS’ legitimacy, making it more representative of developing countries.
The Eurasian Media Alliance and Strengthening the Global Narrative
Another equally important dimension of Indonesia’s involvement in the BRICS ecosystem is its participation in the Eurasian media alliance, particularly through the BRICS TV network. In October 2025, TVRI, Indonesia’s largest television station, signed a cooperation agreement with BRICS TV to participate in information exchange through an international media network. This step concretely opens up broad opportunities, not only for content exchange but also for bringing Indonesians closer to those of other BRICS countries.
This media collaboration holds strategic importance for Indonesia. First, through participation in the BRICS media network, which encompasses more than 100 national and global media structures, Indonesia gains a channel to disseminate its narratives and perspectives to a wider international audience. Second, this media alliance serves as an instrument to counter the dominance of Western narratives, which have long sought to dominate global information flows. The BRICS Media Forum has emerged as a counter-force that constructively reshapes the global narrative and gives a voice to the Global South. Third, media collaboration strengthens the cultural dimension and international understanding, which in turn supports closer economic and political cooperation among member states.
Challenges and the Future
Despite its significant potential benefits, Indonesia’s membership in BRICS is not without its challenges. BRICS is still considered less effective than the G7 or the OECD in generating real economic policies and lacks preferential tariffs and the elimination of significant non-tariff barriers. Therefore, Indonesia needs to take proactive steps to encourage BRICS to transform into a solid trading bloc and then into a bloc for deeper economic cooperation. Indonesia must also remain open to opportunities for cooperation with Western countries to avoid over-reliance on a single power bloc.
Indonesia’s membership in BRICS and its involvement in the Eurasian Media Alliance are fundamentally two sides of the same strategy: strengthening Indonesia’s position amidst the changing global order. Economically, BRICS opens market access, alternative financing, and broader investment opportunities. Geopolitically, BRICS continues to encourage and strengthen Indonesia’s autonomy and bargaining position in global governance. In the areas of information and culture, the Eurasian Media Alliance provides Indonesia with a channel to disseminate its narratives and perspectives on the world stage. In conclusion, with a cautious and proactive approach, Indonesia can utilize these two platforms to realize its national interests while simultaneously contributing to the creation of a more just, inclusive, and multipolar global order.
Hendra Manurung is currently Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Department of Defence Diplomacy, Faculty of Defence Strategy, Republic of Indonesia Defence University
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