ABSTRACT
This chapter considers a somewhat neglected aspect of the relationships among the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) countries by investigating the rhetoric and reality concerning intra-BRICS cooperation in science, technology and innovation (STI). A political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal (PESTEL) analysis seeks to delineate the macro-environment within which strategic choices are to be made. Science was a strong component of the modernization and military agendas of the BRICS, with considerable technological transfers from the Soviet Union to both China and India. STI bilateral agreements are commonplace among the BRICS countries, and between them and other science-producing countries. The BRICS members publish regularly updated STI strategies and have specialized agencies that gather and produce STI indicators. The cement for the BRICS comes from a shared desire to rebalance global political power relations and institutions in the same way that global market forces have rebalanced economic power.
