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BRICS vs G7: Comparative strengths in population, economy, energy and military power in 2026

BRICS vs G7: Who has the edge in population, economy, energy & military power in 2026?
Countries
BrazilChinaEgyptEthiopiaIndiaIndonesiaIranRussiaSaudi ArabiaSouth AfricaUnited Arab Emirates
Cooperation areas
Economic GrowthInclusive MultilateralismInstitutional Development

Source: Business Today | Original Published At: 2026-09-10 04:00:36 UTC

Key Points

  • India's 2026 BRICS chairship focuses on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability, with priorities including economic cooperation, digital public infrastructure, energy and food security, healthcare, climate action and global institutional reform.
  • The expanded BRICS grouping has 11 members and accounts for roughly half of the world's population and around 40% of global GDP.
  • In purchasing-power-parity terms, BRICS has overtaken the G7, while in nominal-dollar GDP the G7 remains larger, led by the United States.
  • BRICS has advantages in population size, energy and commodity influence, trade reach, and access to financing through the New Development Bank.
  • The G7 retains concentrated financial, technological and military power, supported by the dollar's reserve role and NATO-linked defence partnerships.
  • BRICS faces internal political divisions, including China-India competition and differing regional interests, while India resists framing BRICS as an anti-Western bloc.
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