BRICS FMs meeting ends amid deep divisions

India issues chair's statement after members fail to agree on language over US-Iran war, Gaza

NEW DELHI:

A meeting of top diplomats from BRICS nations ended on Friday without a joint statement after divisions emerged over the war involving Iran, leaving host India to issue only a chair's statement that highlighted sharp differences within the bloc.

The two-day gathering in New Delhi exposed growing strains inside the grouping of emerging economies, particularly between regional rivals Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Iran had pushed for BRICS to formally condemn the US-Israeli military campaign against Tehran.

India's chair statement acknowledged the lack of consensus among member states. "There were differing views among some members as regards the situation in the West Asia/Middle East region," the statement and accompanying outcome document said.

The statement said member countries had expressed a broad range of national positions during the talks, reflecting differing approaches to the Middle East crisis. The discussions included calls for an early resolution of the conflict, support for dialogue and diplomacy, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the importance of maintaining safe maritime commerce through international waterways.

The Gaza conflict also featured prominently during the discussions. BRICS ministers reiterated that "the Gaza Strip is an inseparable part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory" and underlined the importance of unifying Gaza and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.

However, India's statement noted that one member state had reservations regarding portions of the Gaza-related language, though it did not identify the country involved. As chair of BRICS for 2026, India used the meeting to call for greater unity among developing nations in response to mounting global challenges.

BRICS currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran and the UAE. India faces growing economic and security concerns linked to Iran's effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.