BRICS+: Current Agenda
type: channel
description: Editor-in-Chief: Inna Andronova, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor Published since: 2025. ISSN (online) ........ Publication frequency: quarterly Open Access Publication fee: No fees are charged. Peer review: Double-blind. Publication languages: English, Russian. Publisher: Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)
language: ru-RU
publication name: BRICS+: Current Agenda
copyright: All rights to the article belong to the authors. The authors grant the journal publisher the rights to use the article, including making the article available in open access, under the non-exclusive licence set forth below (Author Agreement (Public Offer)). All copyright remains with the authors. Author Agreement (Public Offer) on Publication of an Article in the Scientific Journal “BRICS+: Current Agenda” The Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education “Peoples' Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba” (RUDN University), represented by the First Vice-Rector–Vice-Rector for Research Andrey Aleksandrovich Kostin, acting on the basis of Power of Attorney dated 21 May 2025 №0036-09/25-122 (hereinafter referred to as the “Publisher”), on the one hand, hereby offers an indefinite group of persons (hereinafter referred to as the “Author”), on the other hand, and together hereinafter referred to as the “Parties”, to enter into this agreement (hereinafter referred to as the “Agreement”) on the publication of scientific materials (hereinafter referred to as the “Article”) in the scientific journal “BRICS+: Current Agenda” (hereinafter referred to as the “Journal”) under the terms and conditions set forth below. 1. General Provisions 1.1. This Agreement, pursuant to Article 437(2) of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, constitutes a public offer (hereinafter referred to as the “Offer”), full and unconditional acceptance (acceptance) of which, pursuant to Article 438 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, shall be deemed the submission by the Author of their materials by uploading them to the online electronic submission system for receiving articles for review, located in the relevant section of the Journal’s website at: https://bricsplus-j.ru in the information and telecommunications network “Internet” (hereinafter referred to as the “Internet”). 1.2. In accordance with the applicable legislation of the Russian Federat…
items: Welcome Message for the Inaugural Edition of the “BRICS+: Current Agenda”
items: Enhancing Competition in Cross-Border Markets of the EAEU: Insights from the BRICS+ Experience
items: Improving the Regulation of Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations in the Kyrgyz Republic through E-Government Development: Insights from the BRICS+ Experience
items: The Rising Role of BRICS+ in Shaping a Multipolar Economic Order
items: BRICS Expansion: New Opportunities and Risks for the Formation of a Polycentric World
items: BRICS+ Agenda for Sustainable Nuclear Development: Current Status and Emerging Trends
items: BRICS as an Emerging Model of Non-Western Multilateralism in the Age of Geopolitical Realignment: Conceptualizingthe Pluralistic Partnership Forum
items: Artificial Intelligence: The Chinese Experienceand Its Implications for the BRICS+ Countries
items: BRICS+ as a Platform for China’s Cooperation with the Global South
items: The Role of BRICS in Global Energy Transition
items: The Phenomenon of the Indonesian Gamelan Orchestra in World Music Culture
items: Positivism in Brazil in the 19th Century: Philosophy, Politics, Culture
items: The Problem of the Chinese Concept Tianxia and Education

Welcome Message for the Inaugural Edition of the “BRICS+: Current Agenda”
type: item
creator: Anil Sooklal
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Sooklal A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 7
ending page: 11

Enhancing Competition in Cross-Border Markets of the EAEU: Insights from the BRICS+ Experience
type: item
description: The article is devoted to identifying prospects for enhancing competition in cross-border markets of the EAEU, drawing on the experience of BRICS+. To this end, it employs an econometric methodology to examine the most recent trends in international trade of the EAEU and BRICS+ under the sanctions regime in 2023 and 2025. Using trend analysis of official international statistics, the study reveals changes in the state of competition in cross-border markets, as well as in exports and economic growth of the EAEU and BRICS+ between 2023 and 2025. The analysis demonstrates the contradictory effects of sanctions on competition in cross-border markets of the EAEU and BRICS+, reflected in the slowdown of export but an improvement in customs and tariff conditions; in the contraction of exports alongside accelerated economic growth within the EAEU; and in the simultaneous slow-down of economic growth within BRICS+. A model was developed to assess the impact of competition in cross-border markets on exports and economic growth in the EAEU and BRICS+ in 2023 and 2025. This model provided the basis for forecasting export development and the acceleration of economic growth in the EAEU through 2027, contingent on the improvement of cross-border market competition. The study concludes that, unlike international trade under the previous conditions of free trade promoted by the WTO, in today’s environment of global economic deglobalization, the state of competition in cross-border markets, while still significant, plays a much less decisive role in shaping exports and economic growth.
creator: Aikumush B. Abdyldaeva
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Abdyldaeva A.B. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 12
ending page: 17

Improving the Regulation of Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations in the Kyrgyz Republic through E-Government Development: Insights from the BRICS+ Experience
type: item
description: This study is devoted to developing scientific and practical recommendations for improving the regulation of inter-governmental fiscal relations in the Kyrgyz Republic through the advancement of e-government, drawing on the experience of BRICS+. The econometric and statistical analysis conducted in the article made it possible to quantify the extent to which BRICS+ outpaces the Kyrgyz Republic in terms of the efficiency of intergovernmental fiscal regulation (by an average of 105.54%) and the level of e-government development (by an average of 69.89%) in 2025. Through regression analysis, a model was constructed to examine the relationship between the efficiency of intergovernmental fiscal regulation and the level of e-government development in the Kyrgyz Republic and BRICS+ in 2025. The model clarified the significance of individual components of e-government systems for enhancing the efficiency of intergovernmental fiscal regulation in both the Kyrgyz Republic and BRICS+. The regression model further identified opportunities to improve the regulation of intergovernmental fiscal relations in the Kyrgyz Republic by advancing its e-government system to the level of BRICS+. The study concludes that the development of e-government, following the BRICS+ experience, will enhance the regulation of intergovernmental fiscal relations in the Kyrgyz Republic. To achieve this, it is recommended to focus primarily on strengthening state institutions and adopting more advanced e-government technologies.
creator: Urmatbek A. Bidinov
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Bidinov U.A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 18
ending page: 23

The Rising Role of BRICS+ in Shaping a Multipolar Economic Order
type: item
description: In recent years, BRICS has evolved into a key platform for rethinking the architecture of the global economy. The expansion to the BRICS+ format has enhanced the bloc’s potential by incorporating new centers of economic growth into the international system. Underconditionsofgrowinguncertainty,geo-economicfragmentation,andaccelerateddigitalization,theneedforsustainablemodels of cooperation that can balance the interests of member states has become increasingly urgent. The purpose of this study is to identify institutional and economic-mathematical factors that determine the prospects of BRICS+ as an alternative center of global governance. The methodological framework is based on a comprehensive approach that includes the analysis of macroeconomic indicators, a comparative study of trade and investment flows, institutional mechanisms, as well as scenario modeling of integration trajectories. The results demonstrate that BRICS+ is shaping a new path of international cooperation grounded in the principles of multipolarity, mutual respect, and sustainable development. The article highlights that the most promising areas for deepening cooperation include digital transformation, the transition to settlements in national currencies, and the development of green technologies. It concludes that strengthening the institutional foundations of BRICS+ can not only enhance the competitiveness of member states but also reshape the configuration of the global economic system.
creator: Alexander L. Chupin
creator: Abdelaal Ahmed Mostafa Ahmed Ragas
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Chupin A.L., Ragas A.A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 24
ending page: 33

BRICS Expansion: New Opportunities and Risks for the Formation of a Polycentric World
type: item
description: The expansion of BRICS, which in 2024 included countries such as Egypt, Iran, the UAE, and Ethiopia, marked a new stage in the development of the alliance, strengthening its role in the global political and economic system. In the face of increasing international tensions and the fragmentation of the global economy, BRICS has demonstrated its ability to create alternative mechanisms for cooperation based on principles of equality and mutual respect. The Kazan Summit was a historic milestone in the development of the alliance, confirming its ability to adapt to the challenges of the time and attract new partners. The accession of 13 partner countries has not only expanded the geographical and economic boundaries, but also highlighted the need for institutional reforms for more effective management and coordination. The main challenges for further expansion remain some economic and political limitations in the relations between the participating countries, a lack of institutionalization, and limited infrastructure. However, the prospects for the bloc’s development include the creation of an integrated economic space, the development of settlements in national currencies, the strengthening of the role of the New Development Bank, and the formation of new international institutions that could compete with Western structures such as the WTO and the IMF. Through these steps, BRICS has the potential to become not only an economic but also a geopolitical center of the Global South, playing a key role in shaping a multipolar world order.
creator: Oleg G. Karpovich
creator: Alina V. Chesnokova
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Karpovich O.G., Chesnokova A.V. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 34
ending page: 41

BRICS+ Agenda for Sustainable Nuclear Development: Current Status and Emerging Trends
type: item
description: Nuclear energy is becoming a strategically significant component of the energy balance of the BRICS+ countries, reflecting both the growing demand for energy resources and the pursuit of technological sovereignty. This study analyzes the distribution of nuclear power plant capacities, uranium reserves, and ongoing projects among the BRICS+ states, allowing their efforts to be considered within the broader context of global energy diversification and security. The analysis is based on data regarding operational nuclear power plants, reactors under construction, and uranium resources, collected from international energy data-bases and official reports. The results indicate that Russia, China, and India constitute the technological and production core of BRICS+, concentrating the majority of operational reactors and new construction projects, while Brazil and South Africa maintain stable but more modest programs, relying on domestic uranium production. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indinesia and the United Arab Emirates emerge as new participants advancing ambitious nuclear energy projects. These trends suggest the formation of BRICS+’s collective influence on the global nuclear energy and fuel market, as well as the strengthening of their role in ensuring global energy stability.
creator: Vahe Davtyan
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Davtyan V. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 42
ending page: 56

BRICS as an Emerging Model of Non-Western Multilateralism in the Age of Geopolitical Realignment: Conceptualizingthe Pluralistic Partnership Forum
type: item
description: Amidst a rapidly changing global order, BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) has emerged as a distinctive form of international cooperation. Unlike traditional international or regional organizations, or even mini-lateral groupings, BRICS functions as a heterogeneous, consensus-driven platform that emphasizes pluralism, sovereignty, and flexible cooperation without binding treaties or supranational authority. In the context of shifting power dynamics, it represents a new league model of cooperation among emerging powers. Acknowledging this distinctiveness, the article introduces the concept of a ‘Pluralistic Partnership Forum’ to explain the actual working of this organizational form. BRICS uniqueness lies in its diversity across continents, political systems, and economic models, which is further reinforced through ‘BRICS+’. It seeks to offer an alternative to Western-dominated multilateralism by promoting South-South cooperation, advancing development finance through the New Development Bank, and advocating reforms in the global financial architecture. Importantly, BRICS challenges Western monetary dominance, global payment system asymmetries, and the weaponization of the U.S. dollar, while working within the existing order to expand emerging economies’ agency. Understanding BRICS as a ‘Pluralistic Partnership Forum’ provides new analytical insights into the evolution of non-Western multilateralism and underscores its potential as a model for post-Western global cooperation and order-building.
creator: Amit Kumar Gupta
creator: Sameer Bharti
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Gupta A.K., Bharti S. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 57
ending page: 67

Artificial Intelligence: The Chinese Experienceand Its Implications for the BRICS+ Countries
type: item
description: Learning about China’s approach to AI development and implementation is crucial for BRICS+ due to its significant advancements and strategic focus on becoming a global leader in the field. Understanding China’s AI landscape provides valuable insights for international collaboration, competition, and the broader global impact of AI. The importance of the topic is predeter-mined by the following: 1) the geopolitical context; 2) economic component; 3) technological and digital sovereignty; 4) defense and cybersecurity; 5) training of personnel; 6) forming alternative AI norms. The methodology was based on documentary analysis. China’s strategy is assessed along four structuring axes, which can be adopted by BRICS+: 1) computational infrastructure;2) data; 3) specialized workforce; and 4) research and development (R&D). The findings indicate that China distinguishes itself through its pursuit of global AI leadership through massive investments. Beijing is willing to work with BRICS partners to deepen pragmatic cooperation, China open to win-win AI cooperation through Belt & Road. International cooperation of China in the field of AI with the BRICS+ countries in the field of creating a common infrastructure, developing uniform standards and legislation, data exchange, and educational programs will serve as an impetus for the development of AI in the countries of the association.
creator: Anastasia A. Zabella
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Zabella A.A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 68
ending page: 77

BRICS+ as a Platform for China’s Cooperation with the Global South
type: item
description: This article provides an in-depth analysis of BRICS’ role as a key platform for China’s strategic cooperation with the countries of the Global South amidst radical changes in the global political and economic system. The core idea is that the world is transitioning from a unipolar order, where the US dominated, to a new bipolar or multipolar one. The author, drawing on Yang Xue-t’ung’s theory of moral realism, argues that China seeks not only to build economic and military power but also to gain strategic authority, positioning itself as a responsible leader and partner. This explains China’s interest in developing BRICS. This study examines the primary aspects of economic cooperation within BRICS, such as the reform of global governance, de-dollarization, trade growth, and technological partnerships. The author argues that despite its internal challenges and external pressures, BRICS continues to be a viable and attractive framework for developing nations, providing them with new avenues for economic development and strengthening their position on the world stage.
creator: Evgeniya Yu. Katkova
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Katkova E.Y. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 78
ending page: 88

The Role of BRICS in Global Energy Transition
type: item
description: This article examines the evolving role of BRICS nations in the global energy transition within the context of their expanded membership and growing geopolitical influence. As BRICS has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, and Indonesia, the bloc now represents approximately 45% of the global population, 28% of global GDP, and 42% of global oil production, making it a significant player in shaping energy policies. The research employs statistical data analysis of energy indicators from 2017-2023 alongside SWOT analysis to assess the current energy landscape and transition trajectories across member states. Findings reveal diverse national energy profiles: China leads in renewable capacity but remains heavily coal-dependent; India shows rapid solar growth targeting 50% non-fossil electricity by 2030; Brazil relies on hydropower while expanding other renewables; and Russia and South Africa demonstrate slower transitions toward cleaner energy sources. Collectively, BRICS nations have nearly doubled their renewable energy capacity since 2017, with increasing emphasis on wind and solar, though fossil fuels still dominate their energy mix. The research concludes that despite challenges including economic disparities, political tensions, and infrastructure deficits, BRICS possesses significant potential to drive global energy transition through enhanced cooperation, technology sharing, and leveraging their collective economic weight to secure necessary financing, provided they balance national circumstances with shared climate commitments.
creator: Daniyal Ranjbar Meshkin
creator: Elizaveta E. Mogileva
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Ranjbar Meshkin D., Mogileva E.E. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 89
ending page: 102

The Phenomenon of the Indonesian Gamelan Orchestra in World Music Culture
type: item
description: In complex and multi-layered musical cultures from different regions of the world, it is not easy to identify phenomena that have represented the most complete repository of their characteristic features over a long period of time. The tradition of orchestral music-making, known as gamelan, can be attributed to such phenomena. It is one of the key, defining phenomena not only of Indonesia and the Southeast Asian region, but also of world musical culture as a whole. In this article, we sought to identify the main essence of Javanese music by analyzing the terminological array that has developed within the gamelan tradition, considered in a systematic-typological comparison both within Indonesian musical culture and in relation to other regions. Let us begin by considering the most important and general concept for any musical culture, “music” (at least in the sense in which it is used within Western civilization), which includes all phenomena related to the field of sound, tone, and sound creation in general. Neither Indonesian nor Javanese languages have developed such a general term. The term musik (from the Dutch musiek), which appeared at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, is used exclusively in relation to Western music, and only for academic music, while the term pop is used to refer to popular forms. This emphasized, on the one hand, the influence of contemporary Western pop culture on popular forms of music-making prevalent in Indonesian cities (particularly noticeable since the early 1960s) and, on the other hand, the features of their distinct identity, which make it easy to distinguish this music from Western music.
creator: Elena V. Gradova
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Gradova E.V. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 103
ending page: 123

Positivism in Brazil in the 19th Century: Philosophy, Politics, Culture
type: item
description: The paper is devoted to the cultural and historical prerequisites for the origin and main stages of the history of positivist philosophy in 19 century Brazil. Based on a review of both the philosophical and literary prehistory of the early 19th century and the positivist tradition in Brazilian thought of the century before last, it is shown by what factors Brazil turned out to be the country in Latin America, on whose cultural, political and religious life the philosophy of positivism had the greatest influence in this historical period.
creator: Vladimir V. Zhdanov
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Zhdanov V.V. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 124
ending page: 128

The Problem of the Chinese Concept Tianxia and Education
type: item
description: In the context of contemporary ideological explorations concerning the transitional nature of the post-globalization era and the shift from a unipolar to a multipolar world order, a number of Chinese thinkers are “re-developing” the concept of Tianxia (“All Under Heaven”), drawing on the historical and cultural roots of the nation. This concept, rooted in ancient Chinese philosophies such as Confucianism, is intended not only to guide the strategic development of modern China, but also to serve as a framework for international communication. Prominent among these thinkers are Zhao Tingyang, Xu Jilin, Zhang Weiwei, as well as the anthropologist Fei Xiaotong. The central challenges they address include the tension between the universal and the particular, especially the relationship between China and other global powers (i. e., the national versus the universal), as well as the dynamics between the state, society, and the individual within the PRC. This study identifies the unresolved issues that arise within the framework of Tianxia as articulated by these authors. It also draws a parallel with the Russian intellectual tradition, where similar tensions between the national and the universal were debated by the Westernizers and Slavophiles, and reflected in the works of F.M. Dostoevsky, V.S. Solovyov, L. Tolstoy, and L. Trotsky. The paper observes how global processes influence the development of education, particularly in China, where efforts are being made to resist the homogenizing effects of globalization. It is argued that a depoliticized interpretation of Tianxia may offer productive insights for the development of a national education system in the PRC. Drawing on the principles of Tianxia , several Chinese scholars propose that global higher education should not be treated as a domain of competition, but rather as a space for mutually beneficial cooperation.
creator: Sergei A. Nizhnikov
creator: Shuchun Zhang
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Nizhnikov S.A., Zhang S. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
volume: 1
number: 1
starting page: 129
ending page: 138