BRICS: A new multilateralism between heaven and Earth?

The Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg (1) last July, the consultations in Saudi Arabia last month aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine (2), and the expansion of the G20 to G21 with the entry of the African Union as a permanent member (3), though different events, are part of a single phenomenon. Their significance lies in the increasing international relevance of states that prefer not to align themselves in the confrontation between Russia and the West but are guided by national and pragmatic interests.

This vast group of countries represents the majority of the world, including a significant portion of the Earth's population, but the name can be misleading. It is not a united bloc. However, we can speak of a new structural factor - the emergence of constraints on great powers, which are accustomed to thinking that everything depends on them. Now, it is not possible to achieve goals without the support - and even more so the opposition - of countries that were previously considered marginal. The essence of the majority's approach is the desire to distance themselves from the political, economic, and ideological constructs of the Western bloc. It is a common belief in the so-called Global South that certain white gentlemen - who have been in charge of the world for several centuries - have created a host of modern problems by constantly fighting each other, and that these problems are worsening. Russia, thanks to its Soviet legacy, retains a kind of "get out of jail card" but is generally considered part of the broader West. For the "first world," there is no reason to help the "false" minority manage what they have created, as the so-called developed countries are not ready to change the system that has led things into a dead end, if not by purely cosmetic means. It makes more sense to exploit the difficulty of the Global North to seek advantages for the Global South.

This is, of course, an oversimplification that can be adapted to various circumstances until it is reduced to historical preferences and antipathies. However, the situation comes down to an auction: who offers more? Who can bring truly concrete and useful solutions? The United States and its allies were the first to find themselves in such a situation. They were unpleasantly surprised by the firm reluctance of non-Western countries to join the anti-Russian coalition in 2022. Now Moscow, too, sees the limits of its options. Most of the world accepts Russia's arguments about the causes of the conflict but is not enthusiastic about the ongoing military campaign (4).

The position of the majority of countries is based on their practical situations, with a sensitivity to ideological appeals and proposals for direct changes to the world order that act as garnish.

The theme of changing the world order finds resonance in many states but is not an urgent priority. There is neither a desire to adopt development models nor a demand for an ideology, as there was in the 20th century. Proposals to develop an appealing ideological narrative to win the hearts and minds of the global majority are based on past experience, but the international landscape is very different now. Everyone is on their own. This is indeed the multipolar world that people sought when they wanted to defeat hegemony.

Speaking of the potential of BRICS countries, the space aspect is often overlooked. In total, there are around 80 space agencies in the world, including all BRICS countries. However, only nine agencies are capable of producing space launchers, including Russia, India, and China. Only three states in the world have conducted human spaceflights: Russia, China, and the United States. Furthermore, these countries have or have had their own orbital stations.

As we can see, BRICS brings together not only members with high potential in the space industry but also space leaders. Their total budget is comparable to the budget of the European Space Agency (ESA). But the opportunities are even greater than the allocated resources. With the same amount of money, BRICS countries can achieve more than Europeans or even Americans, based on the quantity and quality of the workforce.

There are only six countries in the world that are truly participating in the race to the Moon in the 21st century, and half of them are BRICS countries. Russia and China are planning independent flights. India wants to send only an automatic station and a rover to the Moon. In the future, they are planning joint crewed space programs with some states.

In March 2018, a delegation of representatives from Roscosmos held talks with Brazilian counterparts regarding cooperation in space exploration. Furthermore, the Russian delegation visited the Alcantara Launch Centre in Brazil, where they familiarized themselves with the current conditions of equipment and infrastructure, as well as the long-term plans of the Brazilian side for international cooperation. Following the visit, the parties signed a protocol containing specific instructions and the next steps for the development of joint cooperation.

In turn, the President of Brazil expressed interest in expanding the GLONASS network stations in the country. Currently, there are seven stations of the Russian global system in Brazil.

Meanwhile, Russia and China have signed a space cooperation program for the period 2018-2022. The agreement covers cooperation in the field of rockets and engine construction, lunar and Martian observation, deep space exploration, and other matters. The Chinese delegation negotiated with Roscosmos for the creation of an international lunar station, and the robotic missions of the two countries represent the reconnaissance phase of this project. China also has the multi-module space station Tiangong in orbit and is interested in Russian experience in long-term space flights and the construction of large space objects. The parties agreed on the need to sign a specific bilateral agreement between Russia and China on cooperation in the field of Earth remote sensing. Furthermore, the partners decided to conduct a joint experiment on the use of Russian and Chinese test sites to improve the quality of evaluation of remote sensing data from their spacecraft. Moreover, the parties highlighted the efficiency of cooperation in preparing the agreement in the field of Earth satellite remote sensing of the BRICS countries between the space agencies of the States.

On July 14, 2023, Chandrayaan-3 was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. On August 5, the spacecraft entered lunar orbit, and on August 23, the lander touched down near the lunar south pole, making India the fourth country to successfully land on the Moon and the first to do so in that region. On September 2, India launched a mission to study the sun and its impact on space weather, shortly after the historic landing of Chandrayaan-3. This mission, called Aditya L1 (where "Aditya" means sun in Hindi), is India's first mission dedicated to studying the sun.

Russia has constructed the "Russian Optical and Electronic Complex for Detection and Measurement of the Movement Parameters of Space Debris" in South Africa, which will be used to detect and monitor space debris in a more timely and efficient manner. This space debris detection facility was opened at the Hartbeeshoek facility of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA). The Russian embassy in South Africa announced the opening of the facility on Telegram on July 23, 2023. The facility will be used to monitor threats to spacecraft, including the ISS and satellites.

Today, BRICS countries have a BRICS Joint Committee for Space Cooperation, which was officially launched on May 22, 2022, opening a new chapter in their cooperation in the fields of remote sensing satellite observation and data sharing. The constellation consists of six existing satellites: Gaofen-6 and Ziyuan III 02, both developed by China, CBERS-4, jointly developed by Brazil and China, Kanopus-V, developed by Russia, and Resourcesat-2 and 2A, both developed by India.

So, BRICS countries aim to become a technological alliance focused on space, which will also strengthen their economies. This remote sensing data sharing mechanism among BRICS space agencies will help address global challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, and environmental protection.

The goal of BRICS is to promote space-related agreements among member countries, develop joint ventures, and engage with other emerging economies. Creating stable demand for space-related services and fostering synergy between public and private enterprises is crucial. Currently, there are unfortunately no laws regarding the commercialization of services. So how can companies operate today if there is no framework law? This is the priority that BRICS is working on and will open up completely different prospects for businesses.

While the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has influenced Moscow's decision to withdraw from the ISS, the partnership of BRICS on the Russian and Chinese orbital system offers an opportunity for greater collaboration in space. By leveraging the capabilities of each member nation, BRICS can serve as an engine to address complex issues such as space militarization and promote peaceful space exploration. For example, a country like India, known for cost-effective space programs, can play a crucial role in enabling other countries to participate in space exploration with shared values. Furthermore, BRICS serves as a forum through which China's assertive space ambitions can potentially be moderated by fostering the development of appropriate space policies and collective goals.

In light of the growing concern over the militarization of outer space, the current international space treaties appear insufficient to adequately address future risks.

As the world faces critical challenges like climate change, inequality, war, international cooperation is paramount to resolve complex problems in space. Relying solely on individual nations to explore and utilize outer space may lead to fragmented efforts and exacerbate geopolitical tensions. In this regard, the rise of multilateralism in space by BRICS represents a promising path.

Considering the ever-changing geopolitics and power dynamics between the major world powers, it can be surmised that the nature of war in outer space will be inherently complex.

The collapse of space cooperation between Russia and the United States and Moscow's withdrawal from the International Space Station (ISS) underscore the need for a new approach to space exploration. BRICS offers a unique opportunity to promote multilateralism in outer space, decoupling it from space competition and promoting cooperation among diverse nations. After all, BRICS has many opportunities: immense intellectual resources, a powerful production base, unique technologies, and even its own bank. By adhering to principles of non-discriminatory access and shared values, BRICS can guide the use of space exploration for collective benefit, mitigating concerns about space militarization and collectively addressing the challenges and opportunities that lie beyond our planet.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1) Declaration of the 2nd Russia-Africa Summit
https://summitafrica.ru/en/about-summit/declaration-2023/

2) Saudi Arabia hosts talks on the Ukraine War
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/08/06/saudi-arabia-dives-into-ukraine-peace-push-with-jeddah-talks_6082031_4.html

3 ) Declaration G20 New Delhi (P. 28 - J.76)
https://www.g20.org/content/dam/gtwenty/gtwenty_new/document/G20-New-Delhi-Leaders-Declaration.pdf

4) WORLD DISORDER
https://www.ianssali.com/blogg/2022/9/7/world-disorder

5) ROSCOSMOS IS ABOUT TO BUILD A NEW GLONASS STATION IN BRAZIL
https://tass.com/science/1173027

6) JOINT STATEMENT Between CNSA And ROSCOSMOS Regarding Cooperation for the Construction of the International Lunar Research Station
https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/english/n6465668/n6465670/c6811967/content.html

7) LVM3-M4-Chandrayaan-3 Mission
https://www.isro.gov.in/Chandrayaan3.html

8) PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 Mission
https://www.isro.gov.in/Aditya_L1.html

9) Russia opens facility in SA's North West to help protect the ISS from space junk
https://www.news24.com/news24/tech-and-trends/news/russia-opens-facility-in-sas-north-west-to-help-protect-the-iss-from-space-junk-20230803

10) BRICS countries launch joint committee on space cooperation
https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/english/n6465652/n6465653/c6840322/content.html

11) BRICS Space Agencies leaders signed Agreement for cooperation in Remote sensing satellite data sharing
https://www.sansa.org.za/2021/08/20/brics-space-agencies-leaders-signed-agreement-for-cooperation-in-remote-sensing-satellite-data-sharing/