In BRICS, it’s not a member. It’s the gravitational center. While India, Brazil, Russia, and South Africa hustle to catch up, China’s GDP alone is bigger than the other four combined; and that’s before you even add inflation or purchasing power. One chart shows China’s industrial output dwarfing the rest. Another reveals its trade surplus is larger than the entire GDP of South Africa. The real story? BRICS might sound like a bloc of equals; but economically, it’s a dragon with four satellites orbiting it. And as global trade shifts, the gap isn’t narrowing; it’s widening. India’s ambition to be a $30 trillion economy by 2050? It’s bold. But China hit $18 trillion in 2026; and is still growing. The question isn’t whether BRICS will challenge the West. It’s whether the rest can even keep pace with China. The dragon isn’t just in the room; it’s rewriting the rules.