Archive · 13 Sep 2026
Why Saudi Arabia Makes BRICS a Ten- or Eleven-Member Bloc
BRICS is a group of large developing countries that work together.
Most official BRICS documents say the group has 11 members.
Saudi Arabia is counted in that number by BRICS and several member governments.
However, Saudi Arabia says it is only an invited country, not yet a full member.
This is because it has not completed the final step to confirm its membership.
Saudi officials still attend meetings and take part in discussions.
Saudi Arabia also wants to keep its important security relationship with the United States.
That is why some reports call BRICS a 10-member group and others call it an 11-member group.
BRICS officially lists 11 members, including Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
Saudi Arabia was invited to join in 2023 but still calls itself an "invited country."
The 10 formally ratified members include the original five, four 2024 entrants, and Indonesia.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud represented Riyadh at the New Delhi summit.
Saudi Arabia’s ambiguous status reflects its effort to engage BRICS while preserving close security ties with the United States.
- Who
- BRICS members and Saudi Arabia, whose membership status remains disputed.
- What
- The bloc’s membership count is contested between 10 formally ratified members and 11 members listed by BRICS.
- When
- The issue was highlighted during the 18th BRICS Summit, which concluded on Sunday.
- Where
- At Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India.
- Why
- Saudi Arabia was invited in 2023 but continues to describe itself as an invited country rather than confirming full membership.
11-Member Interpretation
10-Member Interpretation
Saudi Arabia’s formal status
11-Member Interpretation
BRICS documents, Indian protocol materials, and some member governments list Saudi Arabia as a full member of the expanded 11-nation bloc.
10-Member Interpretation
Saudi Arabia’s official communications call it an invited country, and the country has not issued the final ratification instrument described in the article.
How the bloc should be counted
11-Member Interpretation
The count includes the five original members, four countries that joined in 2024, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia.
10-Member Interpretation
The count includes only the 10 countries described as having completed all formal membership steps, excluding Saudi Arabia.
Meaning of Saudi participation
11-Member Interpretation
Saudi Arabia’s attendance at summits and access to BRICS institutions indicate participation consistent with full membership.
10-Member Interpretation
Its cautious wording and continued reliance on the United States suggest it wants cooperation with BRICS without joining a rigidly anti-Western bloc.
- Official BRICS count
- 11 members, including Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
- Formally ratified count
- 10 members, according to the article’s account of completed accession steps.
- Saudi invitation
- Saudi Arabia was invited to join at the Johannesburg Summit in August 2023.
- 2024 entrants
- Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates formally joined on January 1, 2024.
- Indonesia
- Indonesia formally acceded in January 2025.
- Saudi representation
- Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud led Saudi Arabia’s delegation at the New Delhi summit.
- Partner countries
- The article identifies 10 BRICS partner countries, including Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.