As global power continues to shift from West to East, Singapore is exploring a new diplomatic pathway: engaging with BRICS as a formal partner rather than a full member. The move signals a strategic effort to strengthen ties with the growing alliance without compromising the city-state’s longstanding non-aligned foreign policy.
This perspective was detailed by regional analyst Shiwen Yap in a recent article for Modern Diplomacy, which examined Singapore’s potential role within the BRICS framework. According to Yap, the partnership model could allow Singapore to participate in key initiatives while avoiding the binding obligations that come with full membership.
A growing alliance with economic weight
BRICS countries now accounts for roughly 45% of the world’s population and 37.3% of global GDP in terms of purchasing power parity. China contributes 19.05%, and India 8.23%, both surpassing the United States and the European Union, each of which hovers around 14.5%.
Singapore’s interest is not in joining the bloc outright, but rather in forging a looser form of cooperation. A partner arrangement would provide selective access to BRICS initiatives, such as the New Development Bank and digital finance projects, without forcing Singapore to align with the bloc’s geopolitical stance.
A calculated position
Singapore has built its foreign policy on strategic balance. Full BRICS membership would likely require capital contributions, participation in political decision-making, and potential shifts in diplomatic alignment. In contrast, the partner model offers Singapore the opportunity to engage thematically – in areas such as climate finance, payments innovation, and trade – while retaining its autonomy.
Yap writes that Singapore sees this model as a “functional, lower-risk form of involvement” that is consistent with its broader approach to multilateralism and economic openness.
Regional influence and strategic relevance
The move would also position Singapore alongside other Southeast Asian nations already engaging with BRICS in a similar way. Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia have all signalled interest or taken steps towards partnership, suggesting a regional trend towards pragmatic cooperation with emerging powers.
According to Yap, this type of engagement allows Singapore to influence global discussions on finance, trade and infrastructure without being drawn into bloc politics. It also reinforces Singapore’s role as a regional convenor and a credible voice in multilateral settings.
A shift without realignment
Singapore’s potential move should not be seen as a pivot away from the West. Rather, it reflects the reality of a changing world order in which middle powers are seeking greater flexibility in how they engage globally. As Yap notes, the idea is not to replace existing partnerships but to complement them, ensuring continued relevance in a fragmented geopolitical landscape.
Singapore’s interest in BRICS partnership is part of a broader effort to diversify diplomatic and economic channels, particularly in light of growing interest in non-Western platforms and financial mechanisms that sit outside the traditional Bretton Woods system.
As Singapore considers a formal BRICS partnership, it does so with its usual strategic caution. The objective is clear: to engage meaningfully with the world’s emerging centres of power while preserving its independence and long-standing diplomatic principles. In doing so, Singapore may be charting a course that other small, globally connected economies will choose to follow.
