What is ‘BRICS’ Grouping?

About ‘BRICS’ Grouping:

• BRICS is an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, a bloc of countries that formed a partnership following the creation of the term in 2001 by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill (but it didn't include South Africa at the time).
• South Africa joined in 2010, making it "BRICS".
• The group was designed to bring together the world's most important developing countries to challenge the political and economic power of the wealthier nations of North America and Western Europe.
• The BRICS countries operate as an organization that seeks to further economic cooperation amongst member nations and increase their economic and political standing in the world.
• Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt joined BRICS in 2024.
• The expanded group has a combined population of about 3.5 billion, or 45% of the world's inhabitants.
• Combined, members' economies are worth more than $28.5tn - about 28% of the global economy.
• With Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE as members, Brics countries produce about 44% of the world's crude oil.

Q1: What is Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)?

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an international alliance that consists of 9 member states and 4 observers from Eurasia. The member nations are China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Uzbekistan

Source: BRICS countries recognize group’s importance for multipolarity: Jaishankar