BRICS is named for its founding members, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

In January 2025, Indonesia joined the BRICS as a full member while Belarus; Bolivia; Kazakhstan; Cuba; Malaysia; Nigeria; Thailand; Uganda and Uzbekistaninducted as partner countries of the BRICS.

The 2023 BRICS summit was the fifteenth annual BRICS summit, an international relations conference attended by the heads of state or heads of government of the five member states: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.