The global energy landscape is going through a structural shift. With the adoption of a joint road map at the meeting of BRICS’ energy ministers in Brazil this year, the bloc is set to redefine the terms of multilateral cooperation in energy. As the importance of energy security and climate finance rises to national agendas, BRICS+ has positioned itself as a platform for advancing regional interests across member economies.
India’s priorities are closely aligned with this shift. With its growing leadership in energy deployment, India stands to benefit from a more coordinated BRICS energy strategy, particularly in securing financing and advancing clean energy partnerships. As part of this effort, India has invited member countries to the next BRICS Energy Gathering, which will be hosted under its chairship in 2026. This convergence on increasing regional energy collaborations showcases how far the BRICS platform has evolved from its original conception as a grouping for cooperation among emerging economic powers.
In 2001, the head of economic research at Goldman Sachs, Jim O’Neill coined the term “BRICS” to describe Brazil, Russia, India and China as nations projected to surpass the G7 (Group of Seven) in gross domestic product (GDP) growth over the following decade. According to O’Neill, this meant that global economic governance ought to include space for these prominent economies. Soon enough, in 2009, the BRICS forum was formalised, with South Africa joining soon after. Since its inception, BRICS has been viewed as a South-led initiative, with the potential to reshape international institutional frameworks and provide alternatives to existing structures.
Between 2023 and 2025, BRICS doubled its membership. The bloc added five new countries – the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Iran – and increased the total membership to 10. By mid-2025, the growing BRICS+ accounts for nearly half the world’s population and over 40 per cent of the global GDP, surpassing G7 by approximately $20 trillion. Furthermore, between 2002 and 2022, intra-BRICS trade, as a share of global goods trades, more than doubled to 40 per cent.
Trends in the energy landscape
At the 2025 BRICS energy ministers’ meeting, which was held in Brazil, the bloc collectively reaffirmed their commitment to advancing regional energy cooperation. The meeting also saw calls to link energy trade with the local currency usage and prioritise technological neutrality for a just transition. The energy profile of the expanded BRICS+ bloc is characterised by dual trendsuse trends including continued fossil fuel capacity development and a simultaneous shift towards renewables. According to the Global Energy Monitor, BRICS+ nations now account for 38 per cent of the global petroleum imports, with an expected increase up to 55 per cent, in case of further expansions. On the supply side, the group controls approximately 43 per cent of the global crude oil output and 32 per cent of the natural gas production. However, as new non-fossil capacity additions already outnumber fossil-fuel led projects slated for commissioning, we are witnessing a critical point of inflection for the bloc. For instance, wind and utility-scale solar projects that are under development already outpace planned coal, oil and gas plants by a ratio of two to one across BRICS countries, according to the Global Energy Monitor. These additions are driven by strong policy support in China and expanding pipelines in Brazil, India and South Africa. According to Climate Analytics, China’s investment in electric vehicles, batteries and solar manufacturing is expected to reduce the global oil demand by as much as 5 million barrels per day by 2030.
Similarly, India has made significant progress in domestic solar module manufacturing and infrastructure development. It has doubled its electricity capacity to 475 GW over the past decade and now ranks as the third-largest producer of solar and wind energy. Ongoing efforts include smart grid and transmission expansion under the Green Energy Corridor, along with targets for green hydrogen, a national carbon credit market and 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047. Similarly, India has made significant strides in domestic solar module manufacturing with help from the production-linked incentive scheme. It has launched efforts such as the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme to install smart grids, strengthen transmission under the green energy corridor and is set to establish an operational national carbon market. Brazil continues to expand its hydropower and bioenergy portfolios and South Africa is scaling up investments in coal transition and distribution strengthening. Overall, the bloc has enough clean energy projects under development to nearly triple its renewable capacity by 2030.
BRICS roadmap for energy cooperation (2025-30)
To build on these national efforts by deepening coordination across the bloc, BRICS+ members adopted a revised Energy Cooperation Roadmap 2025-30 at the energy ministers’ meeting in May 2025. The BRICS Energy Cooperation Roadmap 2025-30 outlines a structured plan to enhance energy coordination across member countries through joint research, investment and technology collaboration. The cooperation framework is structured into two branches – Sectoral Cooperation and Cross-cutting Areas. Under the sectoral cooperation framework, six thematic areas have been prioritised in the renewable energy space including solar (grid and off-grid), wind (onshore and offshore), hydropower, geothermal energy and distributed renewable energy generation. In addition, grid modernisation has been identified as a central area of action, with specific focus on improving the quality of transmission infrastructure and the deployment of smart grids across BRICS countries.
The cross-cutting areas section identifies key technologies that can support the above deployment. These include energy storage systems and emerging energy technologies, which are expected to become increasingly important in supporting the integration of variable renewable energy to meet overall transition goals. By 2027, the road map sets two clear operational targets. First, member countries aim to coordinate the development of energy storage and other emerging technologies to facilitate large-scale renewable integration and reduce grid intermittency. Second, smart grid development is positioned as a strategic priority.
BRICS as energy alliance
In an increasingly fragmented global order due to unilateral dominance in international institutions, the case for a South–South energy alliance has become more pronounced. Within this context, the BRICS platform presents an opportunity for emerging economies to build collaborative frameworks.
A key feature of the bloc’s evolving energy engagement has been the emergence of bilateral and regional initiatives aimed at supply chain diversification. For example, China and the UAE have partnered to establish joint cleantech knowledge centres to facilitate the transfer of patents in solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and electric vehicle components. This arrangement is designed to enable the UAE to build indigenous manufacturing capabilities, while allowing Chinese exporters to circumvent tariff-related trade barriers. Similarly, India has entered into green hydrogen cooperation agreements with Oman and signed an MoU with Malaysia and Vietnam for joint solar manufacturing. The financing for these initiatives is supported in part by the New Development Bank (NDB). In South Africa, the bank is supporting Eskom’s transmission infrastructure modernisation programme as part of its broader Just Energy Transition agenda. In Brazil, the NDB is co-financing the expansion of São Paulo’s electric bus fleet. In India, the NDB has extended financial assistance to Sustainable Alternative Energy Limited’s 300 MW solar PV project in Andhra Pradesh, which includes a 220 kV grid connection under long-term power offtake with the Solar Energy Corporation of India.
Internal contradictions and challenges
While BRICS+ does represent a unified front on South-South energy cooperation, the bloc remains divided by geopolitical rivalries and individual development priorities. According to an analysis by the Global Policy Journal, the group faces internal fragmentation due to “conflicting geopolitical alignments and unequal access to financing and technologies”.
Additionally, the NDB is yet to scale its role as a major financier of energy transition projects. According to the NDB’s 2024 Annual Report, only a limited share of total lending has been directed towards clean energy infrastructure, with project pipelines concentrated in a few middle-income economies. A study by the South African Institute of International Affairs notes that slow disbursement cycles and an overly centralised governance model have prevented a fast uptake to country-specific energy needs. At present, BRICS also lacks a central framework for carbon intensity benchmarks and energy certification, which leaves members vulnerable to emerging trade barriers. For example, the European Union’s CBAM (carbon border adjustment mechanism), which is slated for full implementation by 2026, presents significant challenges for BRICS exporters.
The road ahead
With the goal of positioning itself as a central pillar in a multipolar world, BRICS+’ ability to deliver meaningful outcomes depends on translating frameworks into operational coordination. This requires energy security to remain the foundational principle. To help countries solve reliability and affordability challenges in their domestic systems, coordinated investments in cross-border transmission, smart grid infrastructure and battery storage will be needed to build flexibility across geographies. This also opens opportunities for regional power pooling and co-investment in system balancing technologies, which can provide a buffer against intermittent generation and future supply shocks. Second, BRICS must move towards a common framework for carbon intensity benchmarks and certification schemes. Mutual recognition of standards will not only protect export competitiveness but also create shared accountability within the bloc.
Third, supply chain integration must be pursued more strategically. The global shift towards modular, multi-country production systems presents an opportunity for BRICS nations to align their comparative advantages. For instance, solar modules, battery packs, electrolyser components and electric vehicle charging systems are being manufactured across multiple geographies, as countries specialise in specific segments of the value chain. For BRICS nations, this trend presents a strategic opportunity to align their respective comparative advantages. For instance, Brazil’s access to rare earths and critical minerals could complement China’s cell and module manufacturing base, while India’s emerging hydrogen ecosystem could serve as a downstream market. Furthermore, joint ventures and transparent technology licensing could be some of the tools that incentivise cooperation.
If BRICS meets these expectations, it could become the most significant energy alliance of the Global South in the decades to come.
