BRICS countries welcome extension of New START The top diplomats also "confirmed the commitment to ensure prevention of an arms race in outer space and its weaponization" NEW DELHI, June 1. /TASS/. The BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) welcome the extension of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) by Moscow and Washington, the five countries’ foreign ministers said in a joint statement on Tuesday. "The Ministers welcomed, in this regard, the extension of the 2010 Russia-US Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms and acknowledged its important role in maintaining global security and stability," the statement reads.