June 01, Colombo (LNW): Russia’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka has encouraged the island nation to make tangible moves if it aspires to become part of the BRICS alliance, indicating that verbal expressions of interest must be backed by concrete diplomatic engagement.
Addressing a gathering at the Bandaranaike International Centre for International Studies in Colombo, Ambassador Levan S. Jagaryan commented on the subject of Sri Lanka’s potential entry into the BRICS grouping, which comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and several newly admitted nations.
The envoy, whilst acknowledging that both Moscow and Beijing have shown goodwill toward Sri Lanka in recent years, expressed disappointment at what he described as a lack of visible enthusiasm from Colombo to engage meaningfully with the bloc.
Jagaryan recalled an official meeting held in October of the previous year with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, during which he personally delivered a letter of invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin, encouraging Sri Lanka to take part in the BRICS summit.
Despite this gesture, the ambassador noted that the Sri Lankan head of state had declined the invitation, citing the country’s then-approaching general elections as a reason for being unable to make the visit.
The ambassador was candid in his remarks, stating that he had received multiple queries from the media and diplomatic circles alike regarding whether Sri Lanka had any intention of aligning itself with BRICS.
He made it clear that admission into the group is a collective decision involving all existing members and is contingent upon the applicant nation undertaking a series of procedural and diplomatic steps.
“It’s not a one-country decision,” Jagaryan pointed out. “All BRICS members must be on board for any expansion to take place. That means if Sri Lanka is truly committed, it must initiate a serious and strategic process, rather than simply making rhetorical gestures.”
His comments have been widely interpreted as a diplomatic nudge for Colombo to move beyond passive engagement and signal its geopolitical intentions more clearly, particularly at a time when several emerging economies have shown interest in joining the bloc.
The BRICS grouping has recently expanded to include new members, as it seeks to reposition itself as a counterbalance to Western-dominated global institutions.
