Uncharted growth: determinants of expansion in informal intergovernmental organisations – the case of BRICS and India

The recent decision by BRICS member states (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) to expand the bloc marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of informal intergovernmental organisations (IIOs), incorporating Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While extensive research has examined enlargement in formal international organisations (IOs), little is known about the determinants of expansion in IIOs. This article argues that powerful actors within IIOs strategically promote enlargement to advance their foreign policy agendas and institutional influence. Focusing on India as a founding member of BRICS, this study employs a mixed-methods approach that combines computational text analysis of approximately 100 BRICS and Indian policy documents with elite interviews. The findings indicate that India’s support for BRICS enlargement is driven by economic motivations, including the enhancement of trade, investment, and energy security, as well as its utilisation of BRICS institutions, such as the New Development Bank (NDB), to secure multilateral action and legitimacy beyond bilateral ties, reflecting its multi-alignment strategy. The study contributes to understanding how great powers shape IIO enlargement as a form of informal multilateralism.