Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_ In a significant diplomatic move, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has formally conveyed Sri Lanka’s desire to join the BRICS group, a leading economic bloc, in a letter written to Russian President Vladimir Putin. This revelation was confirmed by Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Moscow, P.M. Amza, in a media interview earlier this week. Ambassador Amza shared that President Dissanayake’s letter was sent to President Putin in October, expressing the country’s intent to become a part of the influential BRICS family. Amza stated, “In addition to addressing President Putin, we have reached out to other member nations of BRICS and are now awaiting their positive responses,” emphasizing Sri Lanka’s eagerness to deepen its ties with the group.
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The letter marks a key milestone in Sri Lanka’s bid to become a member of BRICS, which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and is considered a critical global economic partnership. Notably, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Vijitha Herath, publicly announced the country’s decision to apply for membership in BRICS and the New Development Bank in October. Minister Herath highlighted BRICS as a vital platform for fostering cooperation, peace, and sustainable development, emphasizing that this aligns with Sri Lanka’s goals of strengthening multilateralism within the framework of the United Nations Charter.
Furthermore, this is not the first time that Sri Lanka has shown interest in joining BRICS. Last December, reports surfaced that President Dissanayake had sought the support of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to back the country’s BRICS membership bid. The application process gained further momentum during the BRICS summit in Russia last month, where Sri Lanka was represented by a high-level delegation led by Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardena. Despite these efforts, the nine current BRICS members decided against admitting new countries at the summit. Foreign Minister Herath confirmed this outcome in a post-Cabinet briefing on December 6.
However, both the Russian Embassy and Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry issued statements in November suggesting that Sri Lanka’s membership application would be considered at a later date, as the process requires further consultations and consensus-building among the current BRICS members. The Russian Embassy also emphasized that they would review the application in conjunction with those of other interested nations. Sri Lanka’s diplomatic relations with key BRICS members, particularly China and Russia, have further bolstered the country’s prospects for joining the bloc. These strengthened ties place Sri Lanka alongside other countries, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, that are also expressing interest in becoming part of BRICS, which is expanding its global network.
The BRICS bloc is a powerhouse in the global economy, representing ten member countries with a combined population of 3.6 billion people— nearly half of the world’s total. Collectively, these nations account for over 40% of global oil production and around a quarter of the world’s exports, making BRICS a major force in both economic and geopolitical affairs. Originally formed in 2006, the BRICS group now includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, in addition to Russia, Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. As the group looks to expand its influence in 2024, the Russian Federation has assumed the rotating presidency of BRICS. This year’s leadership transition is seen as a key opportunity to reassess and integrate new members into the association, which continues to promote a more inclusive global economic order.
