The challenge of BRICS to the United States is overly exaggerated, as BRICS is unlikely to become a serious alliance or even a political organization of like-minded states, said Joseph S. Nye Junior, a former US assistant secretary of defense and a professor at Harvard University, in an op-ed piece on the website of The Wall Street Journal on July 20, 2011.

According to Nye, comprising 40 percent of the world's population and a quarter of the global economy, BRICS appear to represent an important sign of declining American influence, but such appearances are misleading.

Actually, a strong alliance is unlikely, as there are obvious inner differences within the BRICS countries. "The acronym lumps together disparate countries that have deep divisions. It makes little sense to include Russia, a former superpower, with the four developing economies. Of the five members, Russia has the smallest and most literate population and a much higher per-capita income. More importantly, Russia is declining while the others are rising in power resources."

It is also doubtful that BRICS will become an effective political bloc, said Nye, as China, India and Russia are competitors for power in Asia in political terms. "Russia worries about China's proximity and influence in Siberia, and India is worried about Chinese encroachment into the Indian Ocean as well as their Himalayan border disputes."