TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's decision to join BRICS - a bloc of countries consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - brings a number of strategic opportunities for the country's economy and geopolitics. Economist and Public Policy Expert at the Jakarta Veteran National Development University (UPNVJ) Achmad Nur Hidayat said that there are advantages and disadvantages that Indonesia will face if it joins BRICS.

"One of the biggest advantages is increased access to the global market, especially in BRICS member countries that have large economies such as China and India," said Achmad, Wednesday, January 8, 2025.

With Indonesia joining, trade cooperation within BRICS is expected to open up wider export opportunities, increase the added value of domestic products, and deepen the integration of the global supply chain.

However, there are also challenges that Indonesia may face after becoming a member of BRICS. One of the main risks, said Achmad, is the possibility of a shift in the function of BRICS from just an economic, trade and financial bloc.

"This could be a military axis and a new 'hard power' that wants to replace the international order currently dominated by the West, namely the United States and NATO," he said.

If such a shift occurs, BRICS will no longer be just a tool to support economic development, but could become a geopolitical instrument that carries great risks to global stability, especially amidst increasing tensions between the world's major powers.

The transformation of BRICS into a hard power, he said, could trigger new tensions, especially with Western countries. Several BRICS members, such as Russia and China, are already involved in complex geopolitical conflict dynamics, both in the Ukrainian war and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

"If BRICS increasingly leans towards a confrontational geopolitical agenda, Indonesia risks being dragged into a conflict that is not in accordance with its foreign policy principles," said Achmad.

In addition, tensions that develop from trade wars to territorial or even military conflicts could threaten Indonesia's position as a country that has so far upheld the principle of non-alignment.

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