Lavrov: BRICS Will Not Rush Further Expansion — Bloc Must Streamline Work in Enlarged Format

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated at a press conference following the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi on May 15, 2026 that BRICS would not rush further expansion, emphasizing the need to first consolidate the work of the enlarged group. 'At the current stage, we will not rush the expansion of BRICS because a couple of years ago, BRICS doubled the number of its members, and now we need to streamline our work within this new format, the expanded format,' Lavrov said. The statement reflected growing consensus among BRICS founding members that rapid expansion from 5 to 10 full members plus 12 partner countries between 2023 and 2025 has created coordination challenges. The FM meeting itself had just demonstrated this: without a joint communiqué, the bloc's consensus mechanism proved unworkable when Iran and UAE — both 2024 accession members — directly confronted each other. Countries including Turkey, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Malaysia have expressed interest in upgraded status; Turkey's full membership prospects remain blocked by India's opposition, hardened after Indian media reports accused Ankara of supplying drones to Pakistan during the April 2026 Kashmir conflict. Lavrov nevertheless described BRICS as 'a model of the future multipolar world order' and rejected US characterizations of the bloc as 'the main enemy of progress.' India's Jaishankar separately stated that the 'Chair's Summary is a legitimate document under BRICS rules' and that the chairmanship's September summit agenda would proceed.