NEW DELHI, August 4. /TASS/. BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) may merge with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) within the next five years, giving birth to a stronger entity with a more meaningful role, Robinder Sachdev, president of the New Delhi-based analytical center, the Imagindia Institute, told TASS.

"Both BRICS and SCO are initially founded by China and Russia. Many big picture goals of both organizations are same. It is necessary for both organizations to have very different roadmap in future. Otherwise, I have said many times that it is now time to consider merging of the SCO and BRICS into a single organization. A single merged organization will be much more clearer, stronger and grow into very meaningful pole," he said. "Let’s see in next 5 years."

"In my view, we are already in the middle of World War III or the First World War of the 21st century," he noted. "In addition to the war, there are climate and economic challenges, for both the global north and south countries. Role of strong and neutral international institutions is extremely needed now to shape the New World Matrix. The UN is rudderless. Others, some are inactive, and some have become one-sided in this war."

Speaking about BRICS’ current role in the global arena, Sachdev noted that "BRICS will have to create its own space and find a way to be as effective or more effective than other international organizations."

"If the BRICS countries work together strongly on some common agenda then BRICS can have an important role. If BRICS becomes a strong organization, then it can play very important role in building the New World Matrix of the 21st century," he stressed.

BRIC was established in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China. In 2011, South Africa joined the group, adding the S to the acronym.

Set up in 2001 in Shanghai, the SCO initially included six countries, namely Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined in 2017. Iran was admitted to the organization at the SCO virtual summit in early July. Apart from that, Belarus signed a memorandum kicking off the procedure of its accession to the organization.