Indonesia Tells 11-Nation BRICS: Stop Leaning on the West, Turn Weaknesses into Power

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto told the 11-nation BRICS bloc to stop depending on outside powers and instead turn its own weaknesses into economic strength, speaking at a summit where China's Xi Jinping also warned that the Middle East war "does not serve the common interests of the international community" [240765][240433].

Prabowo, addressing the summit, said BRICS members hold significant combined resources and should use them to benefit one another instead of relying on external powers [240763][240765]. He called on the group to deepen cooperation on industrialization and build stronger, more resilient global supply chains [240762]. "Challenges facing member countries should be treated as opportunities for growth and cooperation," he said, urging unity among member states [240765]. He did not announce new policies or agreements [240763].

The summit, held in New Delhi, brought together leaders of the 11-member BRICS group, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, among others [239917][240604]. The group issued a joint statement calling for "maximum restraint" in the Middle East despite earlier disagreements among members [239919][239917].

Chinese President Xi Jinping, attending alongside Russian, Iranian, and Indian leaders, told the summit that the war in the Middle East "does not serve the common interests of the international community" [239917][240433]. China is Iran's biggest trading partner and a major buyer of Iranian oil, and Xi said Beijing is ready to work with BRICS nations to bring peace to the Middle East [240601].

In their closing statement, BRICS leaders expressed deep concern over continued violence in the region and warned against any actions that could escalate tensions [239408][240453]. They stressed the need to protect civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities, rejected the politicization of trade, and urged a return to dialogue and a political solution [239408][240254]. The statement did not name any specific country or group [240254][240604].

Iran and the UAE joined other BRICS nations in backing the joint statement urging restraint in the ongoing war [240604]. The joint position signals growing pressure for de-escalation from some of the world's largest economies, though it remains unclear whether the call will change the course of the war [240604][240254].

BRICS has often presented itself as a voice for developing countries, but its members hold different positions on Iran, which limits how far the group can push any single party [240254].