Eastern Progress: Russia to send over 10 business missions to new BRICS countries
By the end of the year, Russia will send more than 10 business missions to the new BRICS countries - Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Indonesia, the Ministry of Industry and Trade told Izvestia. The delegation will include fertilizer producers, pharmaceutical, woodworking and food enterprises, as well as representatives of the electric power industry and the field of information and communication technologies. According to experts, the key challenges for Russian business in these markets remain the general geopolitical instability in the Middle East and the risks of secondary Western sanctions. In addition, domestic companies will have to face fierce competition from China, which traditionally dominates the economies of the Emirates, Egypt and Indonesia.
New business missions of the Russian Federation to the BRICS countries
By the end of 2025, the mutual trade turnover of the BRICS countries exceeded the historical mark of $1 trillion for the first time. The rapid growth was ensured by the accession of new participants: the UAE, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia and Indonesia. Free trade agreements, preferential business conditions and the development of the North—South transport corridor through Iran to India became the drivers of trade. To further strengthen economic ties, Russia is organizing a series of business missions in these countries, the Ministry of Industry and Trade told Izvestia.
"By the end of the year, more than 10 more business missions are planned to be organized in the new BRICS member countries, which will involve companies from the woodworking, food and pharmaceutical industries, agricultural machinery, fertilizer manufacturers, electric power solutions, sustainable development technologies and ICT," the ministry noted.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade already has experience in promoting domestic business in these regions: representatives of the Russian heavy machinery industry, metallurgy, chemical industry, pharmaceuticals and the IT sector took part in last year's missions.
According to Anna Sytnik, a member of the BRICS—RF Expert Council, Russian exports fully meet the needs of the new members of the association. In Egypt, the focus is shifting to localizing the production of domestic agricultural products, fertilizers and timber, while in Ethiopia, communications technologies, pharmaceuticals and energy are in demand. In Indonesia, the joint creation of ICT and medical equipment is considered a promising area, in Iran — the supply of medicines and energy equipment. In turn, the UAE combines the role of a large market and a key logistics hub for Russian companies to enter the markets of Africa and South Asia.
For domestic timber producers, who had up to 60% of their products exported to Europe before the sanctions were imposed, participation in BRICS business missions remains a key way to find large buyers and avoid capacity downtime. However, it is wrong to reduce the situation solely to the crisis of overproduction, says Anna Sytnik. After the loss of the European market, the industry quickly shifted to the Asian direction, faced with a high concentration of exports: in the first half of 2026, China accounted for about 59% of all lumber shipments. In this regard, new business trips are becoming an important step in diversifying international cooperation. The most promising markets for the timber industry are Egypt (taking into account the possibilities of localization in the Russian industrial zone), as well as the UAE and Iran, where there is still high demand for building materials.
Among the new BRICS members, the UAE, Indonesia and Iran are most actively trading with Russia. Trade turnover with Jakarta reached almost $5 billion by the end of 2025. Mutual trade with the UAE has reached a historic high of $14 billion, while Russian food exports have exceeded $400 million, showing annual growth of more than 10%. In the Iranian direction, under the conditions of Western sanctions, exports along the North—South international transport corridor jumped by 56% in the first four months of 2026 alone. Construction of the Rasht—Astara strategic railway, which will provide Russia with direct access to the Persian Gulf, is expected to begin by the end of the year.
Egypt remains Russia's main partner in Africa, with a record trade turnover of $10.5 billion by the end of 2025. On the territory of this country, Moscow is implementing a strategic project for the construction of the El-Dabaa nuclear power plant and is developing a Russian industrial zone, the potential investment in which is estimated at $7 billion. Ethiopia, another African member of the association, became one of the three leaders in coffee supplies to Russia in 2025. The parties are also actively developing cooperation in the fields of hydropower and information technology.
Risks of Russian business missions to new BRICS countries
The main obstacles to the growth of mutual trade remain logistical barriers, certification issues and the threat of secondary sanctions, due to which foreign banks and insurers refuse to conduct authorized operations, Anna Sytnik pointed out. Financial institutions in China, India and the UAE seek to minimize their own risks.: At the request of US regulators, they spend weeks checking supply chains, end beneficiaries, and the intended use of goods. This forces Russian businesses to use intermediary structures and multi-stage currency conversion, which has led to an increase in fees to 3-5% of the transaction amount. An additional barrier is the position of international insurance pools that have blocked access to Russian ports for ships, as well as the refusal of major Asian and Middle Eastern players to insure Russian cargo in order to preserve licenses.
The lack of uniform standards within the BRICS also creates difficulties, which is why exporters are forced to re-undergo expensive product certification in each country. These issues may be the subject of discussion at the upcoming BRICS summit in New Delhi. As expected, at the initiative of the Reserve Bank of India, the leaders of the association will discuss the launch of the BRICS Pay payment system, which should protect cross-border settlements from the impact of Western sanctions.
In the case of Iran, military risks for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz are added to the existing challenges. Nevertheless, the development of economic ties is necessary.: Russia has faced tens of thousands of restrictions, and Iran has been living under sanctions for more than half a century, recalled HSE expert Georgy Asatryan. According to him, the American attacks on Tehran will not stop in the near future, but this should not stop the holding of business forums. Similar difficulties arise in relations with the UAE, which is participating in a military campaign against Iran on the side of the United States and lobbying for tough measures. However, the strength of Russian diplomacy is the ability to separate these tracks and find common ground with both conflicting sides, the expert emphasized.
In addition to dealing with regional conflicts, Russia has to compete with its key partner, China, which traditionally dominates the markets of the UAE, Egypt and Indonesia. For comparison, if Russia's mutual trade with Jakarta reached a record $5 billion, Indonesia's turnover with Beijing exceeds $130 billion. China's trade turnover with the Emirates is also above $110 billion, and with Egypt it consistently exceeds $15 billion, which significantly exceeds Russian figures.
Competition with China will remain a long-term factor, Anna Sytnik believes. Chinese companies are winning due to the scale of production, the low cost of goods and the amount of financing, so it is more effective for Russian businesses to look for vacant niches. At the same time, Russia and China do not have sharp intersections in the markets of the new BRICS members, said Ekaterina Zaklyazminskaya, a leading researcher at the Center for World Politics and Strategic Analysis of the ICSA RAS. Beijing mainly buys raw materials and food from these countries. Therefore, the Russian Federation has a strategic advantage as a major producer of fertilizers: Russian chemical products can help new members of the association increase the production of agricultural products for supplies to China, which will create benefits for all participants in the chain, the expert noted.
Successful work in the BRICS markets will allow Russia to strengthen its position in the emerging economies of the Global South and develop new areas of trade. Further development of Russian business in these regions will ensure stable demand for the products of domestic enterprises. Ultimately, this step will accelerate the creation of an independent international settlement system and a common infrastructure.
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