UPSC Prelims 2014 Q11: Current Affairs – International Organisations & Groupings
With reference to a grouping of countries known as BRICS, consider the following
statements :
1. The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009.
2. South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b) 2 only
Explanation
BRICS
| Statement | Verdict | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009 | Incorrect | The first summit was at Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009 |
| 2. South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping | Correct | It joined in 2010, turning BRIC into BRICS |
Early summits:
| Summit | Year | Place |
|---|---|---|
| First | 2009 | Yekaterinburg, Russia |
| Second | 2010 | Brasilia, Brazil |
| Third | 2011 | Sanya, China (South Africa's first) |
| Fourth | 2012 | New Delhi, India |
| Sixth | 2014 | Fortaleza, Brazil |
Note: BRICS expanded from 2024, with members such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE.
So statement 2 was true when asked, in 2014.
Answer: (b) 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. The first summit was in Yekaterinburg, not Rio de Janeiro.
- (b) CORRECT. South Africa was the last to join the original grouping, in 2010.
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 1 is false; the venue was in Russia.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 2 is true for the time of the question.
Key point
BRICS: term by Jim O'Neill (2001); first summit Yekaterinburg 2009; South Africa joined 2010; expanded from 2024.
Remember
BRICS: Yekaterinburg 2009; South Africa joined 2010.
Common mistakes
- Placing the first summit in Brazil because of the letter B.
- Forgetting that the group was BRIC until South Africa joined.
- Answering with today's expanded membership for a 2014 question.
Exam tip
First BRICS summit = Russia (Yekaterinburg), 2009.
Sources
- Ministry of External Affairs — BRICS brief
- BRIC — Joint Statement of the BRIC Countries' Leaders, Yekaterinburg (16 June 2009)