Turkey has been invited to become a partner of the Brics group of emerging-market powers, short of its expectation that it would be granted full membership.

“They’ve offered partner-country status to Turkey,” Omer Bolat, the country’s trade minister, told TVNet on Wednesday. “This is a transition period in the organisational process of Brics.”

NATO-member Turkey asked to join the Brics earlier this year to bolster its global influence and forge new ties beyond its traditional Western allies as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to protect his nation’s interests amid a geopolitical shift that has increased developing nations’ sway.

“The bloc, which is focused on enhancing political and international cooperation, has emerged as a center of resistance against the West’s desire to rule the world in a hegemonic way,” said Bolat who accompanied Erdogan to a Brics summit hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan last month.

Brics — the acronym stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — added Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Egypt to its ranks at the start of this year. None of the new members had to transition toward full membership.

Bolat dismissed speculation that India had objected to Turkey joining because of its close ties with Pakistan, saying Brics had offered several other countries partner-country status,” with a final decision on their membership to be made at a later stage.