Head of the Department of Politics and Government of International Relations (PPHI) FISIP Universitas Brawijaya, Aswin Ariyanto Azis, S.IP., M.DevSt, recently became a resource person on one of the Russian TV programs, Russia Today International (RTV).
His presence as a speaker cannot be separated from his opinion which attracted attention regarding the reasons for Indonesia joining BRICS.
In his opinion, Aswin conveyed two main reasons underlying Indonesia’s decision to join BRICS. First, Indonesia is reassessing its strategic position as one of the countries with the leading economy in Southeast Asia.
Second, Indonesia is trying to shift from a non-aligned policy to a multi-aligned strategy. This step is considered capable of helping Indonesia direct its partnerships with both developed and developing countries, as well as balancing traditional alliances with new opportunities on the global stage.
“Joining BRICS can strengthen Indonesia’s influence in the already strong ties with each member country. In addition, it opens up greater opportunities for cooperation outside of face-to-face meetings,” Aswin said in his opinion.
He also added that Indonesia’s move to become part of BRICS reflects the dynamics of its relations with major countries such as China and the United States, in addition to face geopolitical pressures in the region.
According to him, the announcement of Indonesia’s membership in BRICS marks the foreign policy ambitions of the new government that focuses on two main changes, namely the adoption of a multi-bloc strategy and the strengthening of the “good neighbor” policy. This approach allows Indonesia to avoid taking sides while diversifying its partnerships to maximize benefits.
“This multi-bloc strategy paves the way for Indonesia to actively participate in BRICS discussions, especially regarding multilateral reforms that can benefit all parties,” he added.
Aswin’s presence as a speaker in international media further emphasizes the importance of the role of Indonesian academics in providing relevant views on global issues. Thus, this step not only expands Indonesia’s influence, but also elevates the name of Universitas Brawijaya in the international arena.
BRICS is an economic bloc which members are developing countries. The name BRICS itself is taken from the names of the countries that are members and initiators. These countries include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Reported by the official page of the Council on Foreign Relations, BRICS functions to coordinate and facilitate economic cooperation between developing countries. This aims to increase their economic productivity so that they are equal with developed countries. (*/UB PR/ Trans. Iir).
