Will BRICS replace G20? Impossible, says top Russian official

WHILE speculation is rife over the expansion of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) grouping, Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Thursday (14) said even if the bloc's membership expanded, it will not become an alternative to the Group of 20 and that the two bodies complement each other.

Responding to a query on whether BRICS could replace the G20, Peskov said, "No, it's impossible", Russia's state-run TASS news agency reported.

According to the spokesperson, BRICS is a key mechanism for coordination, interaction and cooperation but the G20 is a completely different and wider association.

"They are not interchangeable, they are rather complementary," the official said.

In June, Argentina and Iran applied to join the BRICS, days after its 14th summit was held. Later, Purnima Anand, the president of the BRICS International Forum Purnima Anand said countries such as Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia were also planning to apply for participation in this association.