The BRICS alliance has become a really powerful organization, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a talk on Thursday with participants of the World Youth Festival (WYF), the official website of the President of the Russian Federation said. 

Putin recalled that the idea of the alliance originated in Russia.

"At one time, at one of the international events, I proposed to our Chinese and Indian friends to meet the three of us. This is how the RIC alliance came into being: Russia, India, China. Then Brazil joined – BRIC. Then South Africa – BRICS," the president said, BRICS TV reported.

The official date of BRICS creation is 16 June 2009. On that day the first summit of the BRIC countries started in Ekaterinburg. In April 2011, South Africa joined the alliance. On 1 January 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iran joined the alliance.