Podcasts about history, economics, domestic politics and international relations in the BRICS countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia. What new technologies have already been introduced in the BRICS? How will the entry of new countries strengthen the position of the association? How will the BRICS expansion affect the business environment in Russia? How can we speed up the process of creating a new global settlement currency for the BRICS countries? Together with historians, scientists, sociologists, political scientists and authors of popular non-fiction, we will figure out this issue.
In August, the Republic of South Africa celebrates Women’s Month. This is not only a tribute to previous generations who contributed to the advancement of women’s rights and the development of society but also an important time to focus on issues related to gender equality. What is the source of women’s strength, and what is their role in South African politics? How is gender equality being promoted in the BRICS countries? Refilwe Maria Mtsweni-Tsipane, Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces of the Republic of South Africa shared her insights on this topic in our BRICSterview. TV BRICS reporter: Ekaterina Fomina
BRICS' share of global gross domestic product at purchasing power parity has reached 40 per cent. Experts say this figure reflects fundamental shifts in the structure of the world economy, with developing countries becoming the main drivers of production, trade and investment. What steps should member states of the group take to further boost these indicators? How does cooperation within the group affect bilateral ties between Russia and Brazil? Feliciano de Sa Guimaraes, Associate Professor at the Institute of International Relations of the University of Sao Paulo, shared his insights on this topic in our BRICSterview. TV BRICS reporter: Leonid Samuna
The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. To draw public attention to the growing risks facing steppe, desert and dryland ecosystems and to the role of pastoral communities in protecting them, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification launched the international initiative "Silk Road Caravan" – an expedition across Eurasian rangelands with participants from Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan. TV BRICS reporter: Ekaterina Fomina
Gauteng currently accounts for around a third of the Republic of South Africa’s GDP. The province is a major transport, logistics and manufacturing hub for the country. The development of these sectors is also supported by partner experience – regional officials frequently travel abroad to study best practices. In the first five months of 2026 alone, a delegation visited Russian cities twice. TV BRICS reporter: Leonid Samuna
Johan Badenhorst spent about seven years preparing for his journey across Russia. In May 2026, the expedition set out from Murmansk – the largest city in the world north of the Arctic Circle. Over 2.5 months on the truck, the South African traveller and his team plan to cover roughly 20,000 km and visit 30 regions of Russia. The footage from the trip will form the basis of a multi-part documentary film. TV BRICS reporter: Leonid Samuna
Over the years, the New Development Bank has approved approximately 120 projects worldwide, totalling more than US$39 billion. Many of these projects are well known, including Line 6 of the Qingdao Metro in China; the large-scale Delhi – Ghaziabad – Meerut project in India; and, in early 2026, financing was also approved for the construction of Brazil’s largest power transmission line, the Graca Aranha – Silvania line. To ensure that every initiative supported by the international financial institution contributes to sustainable progress, an Independent Evaluation Office was established. Do the assessment criteria vary depending on the specific characteristics of each country? In which BRICS countries will a country portfolio analysis be conducted in the near future? How is collaboration with multilateral development banks structured to harmonise assessment requirements? Ashwani Muthoo, Director General of the Independent Evaluation Office of the New Development Bank, shared his insights on this topic in our BRICSterview. TV BRICS reporter: Ekaterina Fomina
India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. The key goal set by the government is to achieve a GDP of US$5 trillion. BRICS partners are helping to unlock the potential. Mutual trade turnover with Russia exceeded US$60 billion in 2025, and the two countries intend to increase it to US$100 billion by 2030. What will help achieve this goal? How is India's partnership with other BRICS countries developing? What role do humanitarian projects play in shaping the BRICS expert community? Apurv Kumar Mishra, Consultant in the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, shared his insights on this topic in our BRICSterview. TV BRICS reporter: Ekaterina Fomina
At the end of 2025, Indonesia signed a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union. The new trade regime between the two parties provides preferential access to 90 per cent of goods from the Indonesian side. The EAEU covers 90.5 per cent of the product range for the new partner. Meanwhile, Moscow and Jakarta continue to strengthen their strategic partnership. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto visited the Russian capital twice in 2025. What benefits does the Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union bring to Jakarta? What unites Russian and Indonesian art? Fitria Wibowo Tavares, diplomat, spouse of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Indonesia to Russia, answered these and other questions in the BRICSterview. TV BRICS reporter: Leonid Samuna
In 2025, Nigeria was granted BRICS partner country status. This has provided the Republic with new prospects for development in trade, education, healthcare, and technology. Emmanuel Chukwuka Johnson, Chairman of the Russia-Nigeria Trade and Investment Advisory Council, discussed the potential for further expansion of the Republic's cooperation with the countries of the group. The speaker believes that closer ties with BRICS member states, particularly with India, China, the UAE, Russia, and Brazil, will open up new horizons of opportunities for Nigeria. These include economic diversification, human capital development, educational exchanges, and strengthening the African republic's position on the international stage. With which BRICS members does Nigeria already have a long-standing history of cooperation, and in which areas? What has the Republic managed to achieve during its year as a partner country? These and other questions were answered in a BRICSterview by Emmanuel Chukwuka Johnson, Chairman of the Russia-Nigeria Trade and Investment Advisory Council. TV BRICS reporter: Yana Panferova
A roadmap for the development of peaceful nuclear energy, untapped mineral wealth and a tourism boom – Russia and Zimbabwe intensified their cooperation across multiple sectors in 2026. The republic, endowed with resources crucial for global industry and the green transition, is seeking to elevate its economic ties to the same high level as its long-standing political and diplomatic relations with Moscow. What are the prospects for Zimbabwe’s energy sector and its economy after applying for BRICS membership? Which projects and resources are of particular interest to the republic? Mark Grey Marongwe, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the Russian Federation, answered these and other questions in the BRICSterview. TV BRICS reporter: Yana Panferova
Indonesia is one of the centers of energy transformation in Southeast Asia. By 2050, the country intends to increase the share of green energy in its overall energy mix to 31 per cent, and by 2060, it aims to achieve carbon neutrality. What opportunities does BRICS membership provide for Indonesia’s energy sector? What is the current national energy security index score for country? We talked about this in a BRICSterview with Muhammad Dhery Mahendra, a specialist in renewable energy and sustainable business project development at the Indonesian state oil and gas company. TV BRICS reporter: Leonid Samuna
More than five centuries ago the great Russian navigator Afanasy Nikitin voyaged to India, laying the foundations for relations between the two countries. Nowadays the countries cooperate in a number of important areas, among them are education, culture, science and economics. In what ways is Afanasy Nikitin revered in India? Why is another Russian figure – orientalist Andrey Snesarev – considered an ambassador of culture in the republic? TV BRICS reporter: Yana Panferova
A roadmap for the development of peaceful nuclear energy until 2030, negotiations on the modernisation of hydroelectric power facilities and LNG supplies – Russia and Vietnam intensified their cooperation in the energy sector in 2025. The residents of the republic are convinced that science and technology are the key driving forces for its development. We talked about this with Bui Minh Phuong, a researcher at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology. TV BRICS reporter: Leonid Samuna
Recently, the partnership between Russia and African countries in the field of culture and art has reached a qualitatively new level. This is particularly facilitated by the BRICS platform. In 2017, a decision was made to establish the BRICS Alliance of Art Museums and Galleries to strengthen cultural exchange and cooperation. At the second Russia-Africa summit, the parties went even further and came up with the idea of creating the Museum of African Cultures in Moscow, the world's first museum outside Africa, dedicated exclusively to African themes. We talked about this with Etta Ojang Ivan, Deputy Director of National Museum of Cameroon. TV BRICS reporter: Leonid Samuna
In recent years, BRICS has entered a new phase of development, expanding both its membership and its strategic agenda. According to experts, this transformation reflects the growing appeal of the group as a platform for equitable global technical, scientific, and economic cooperation. Infrastructure development, green economy initiatives, and academic collaboration are becoming key pillars of BRICS cooperation. Soft power tools remain equally important – cultural and educational exchanges, expert dialogues, and trust-building initiatives that can bring societies closer together in a multipolar world. These and other topics were discussed with Professor Shen Yi, Director of the Center for BRICS Studies and Professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University. TV BRICS reporter: Alisa Koroleva
In the 15 years of South Africa's membership in BRICS, the country has become one of the most important members of the grouping and contributes significantly to its work. In 2023, South Africa chaired BRICS, emphasising the importance of "partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism". To this day, South Africa continues to actively promote multipolarity and the interests of the African continent. South Africa is assisting its neighbours in infrastructure and technology development, smart cities, and green transition. This year the country is chairing the G20, which contributes to the establishment of a sustainable and equitable dialogue in the group. We talked about this with Marius Fransman, businessman and politician from South Africa, founder of the People’s Movement for Change political party. TV BRICS reporter: Leonid Samuna
Studying materials in extreme conditions is a promising area of research that helps to uncover previously unknown secrets about our planet. According to Chinese-American geophysicist Ho-Kwang Mao, the scale and importance of the high-pressure area correspond to a separate branch of physics. The complexity of these studies is quite high, so they require the exchange of international experience. The Centre, which is headed by Professor Mao, employs research teams from different countries, including BRICS. The scientist himself also works closely with colleagues from Russia. Ho-Kwang Mao, director of the Shanghai Centre for Advanced Research in High-Pressure Science and Technology, answered these and other questions. TV BRICS reporter: Yana Panferova
Malaysia is actively developing economic ties with ASEAN countries but is also interested in strengthening the Global South, seeing a significant role for BRICS. In 2025, Malaysia was granted the status of a partner country of the group. Today, this Southeast Asian state implements digital technologies across different sectors of its economy, investing considerable financial resources into data centre markets and the evolution of artificial intelligence. TV host, Director of TV BRICS International Cooperation Department: Darya Ivankova
During World War II, Brazil made a significant contribution to the struggle of its allies against the Nazi forces, which became its only direct participation in the global conflict. The country entered the war in 1942 and became the only Latin American state to send its troops to participate in the fighting in Europe. More than 25,000 Brazilian soldiers were sent to Italy in 1944-1945 as part of the Allied Mediterranean campaign. They participated in several key battles, such as the Battle of Monte Castello, the Battle of Collecchio, and the capture of Montez. Attention to this topic in modern Brazilian society has been growing in recent years. The role of national troops in the fight against fascism is becoming the subject of research and historical discoveries, which form the basis of films and books about the participation of Brazilian soldiers in World War II. TV BRICS reporter: Yana Panferova
The “Ramayana” and the “Mahabharata” are ancient Indian epic works written in Sanskrit. These texts contain myths about the life of the kings and raise philosophical questions about choice, loyalty, and duty. The books have been translated into many languages of the world. Separate works have been created based on the “Ramayana” and the “Mahabharata”, explaining the original poems. TV BRICS reporter: Yana Panferova
