Divisions over the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran are set to overshadow a two-day meeting of the BRICS group of emerging economies in the Indian capital New Delhi on Thursday (14 May).
Iran, which is a member of the group, has urged 2026 BRICS chair India to make efforts to get members of the organisation to collectively condemn the U.S. and Israel.
Tehran’s stance, though, is firmly opposed by fellow BRICS member the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has faced attacks from Iran during the conflict and which has reportedly carried out secret strikes on Iran in response.
BRICS originally included Brazil, China, India, Russia and South Africa. In recent years, it has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said in March that it had been “difficult” for members to forge a consensus around the conflict due to the direct involvement of some BRICS countries in the fighting.
Another Indian Foreign Ministry official told Reuters India was hopeful it would get a joint statement from members after the latest round of meetings in New Delhi.
"Glad that the foreign ministers from all the BRICS countries, except China who is otherwise tied up, are coming. This is a good sign on efforts to build a BRICS coalition around a matter of interest to emerging economies and the global south," said former Indian diplomat Manjeev Singh Puri.
China will be represented by its Ambassador to India Xu Feihong to fill in for their Foreign Minister Wang Yi who is unlikely to travel due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing this week.
"Of course political solutions are difficult but the fact that they are meeting is positive and hopefully it will lead to a way forward,” Singh Puri added.
Soaring energy prices caused by the war have prompted many BRICS nations, including India, to introduce emergency measures to protect their economies and consumers.
So far China has taken a nominally neutral stance, given its robust ties with both Iran and Sunni-majority Arab states.
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the weekend BRICS summit, amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, joining a host of foreign dignitaries.
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