THE BRICS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

A LIBERAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

The expansion of BRICS into Southeast Asia, with Indonesia as a full member and Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia as partner nations, presents new opportunities for economic interdependence, institutional cooperation, and global governance reform. This paper examines how BRICS complements ASEAN’s regional frameworks, provides alternative financial mechanisms, and enhances Southeast Asia’s role in multilateral diplomacy. While challenges such as governance transparency, debt sustainability, and intra-BRICS asymmetries persist, ASEAN’s engagement with BRICS offers a pathway toward a more inclusive global economic order. Strategic institutional alignment will determine whether BRICS strengthens ASEAN’s economic autonomy or introduces new dependencies.