New Delhi:The escalating U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran is expected to dominate discussions during the two-day BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting beginning in New Delhi on Thursday, posing a major challenge to the bloc’s efforts to arrive at a unified joint statement.
The meeting comes at a sensitive time as divisions within the expanded BRICS grouping have reportedly surfaced over the ongoing Gulf conflict. Iran has urged India, which holds the BRICS chairmanship for 2026, to use the platform to build consensus against U.S. and Israeli military actions.
Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the BRICS bloc has expanded in recent years to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Diplomatic differences are believed to have intensified between Iran and the UAE, which are seen as backing opposing sides in the conflict triggered by military action launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is expected to arrive in New Delhi late Wednesday to participate in the summit, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also scheduled to attend. China’s foreign minister is unlikely to participate due to prior commitments, officials said.
Uncertainty remains over the UAE’s representation at the meeting amid heightened regional tensions following reports of retaliatory military strikes involving Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had acknowledged the difficulty in forging consensus within BRICS, noting that some member nations are directly involved in the conflict.
However, Indian officials remain hopeful that the latest round of deliberations will result in a joint statement reflecting common concerns of emerging economies and the Global South.
Former Indian diplomat Manjeev Singh Puri described the gathering as a positive development despite political differences among members.
“Political solutions are difficult, but the fact that they are meeting is itself encouraging and could pave the way for future dialogue,” he said.
The ongoing conflict has also triggered a sharp rise in global energy prices, prompting several BRICS nations, including India, to introduce emergency economic measures to shield consumers and stabilize markets.
China, meanwhile, has maintained a largely neutral stance owing to its strong diplomatic and economic ties with both Iran and Sunni-majority Arab nations.(Reuters)
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