The US-Israeli war on Iran is set to cast a shadow over the BRICS meeting in New Delhi, testing the bloc's ability to reach a unified position and produce a joint statement.
The ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran is likely to dominate the discussions at the two-day meeting of the foreign ministers of the BRICS grouping, which begins in New Delhi on Thursday. The meeting will bring together foreign ministers from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, as well as representatives from newer members such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. The war in Iran has created a challenging situation for the BRICS grouping, with some member countries having differing views on the conflict.
Iran has been urging India, the current BRICS chair, to use the platform to build a consensus condemning the US and Israeli actions in the Gulf conflict. However, the main differences have emerged between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, which are on opposing sides of the front line in the war launched by the US and Israel on February 28. The attendance of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to add significance to the meeting, although it is not clear who will represent the UAE.
The latest round of meetings is expected to be tense, given the recent reports of military strikes by the UAE and Saudi Arabia on Iran in retaliation for Iranian strikes. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had earlier some BRICS members were directly involved in the conflict, making it difficult to forge a consensus. Despite these challenges, India is hopeful of getting a joint statement after the meeting, according to a ministry official.
The meeting is seen as an opportunity for the BRICS countries to come together and discuss issues of common interest, particularly for emerging economies and the global south. Former Indian diplomat Manjeev Singh Puri the fact that foreign ministers from all BRICS countries, except China, are attending the meeting is a positive sign. He expressed hope that the meeting would lead to a way forward, despite the difficulties in finding a political solution.
The outcome of the meeting will be closely watched, as it will indicate the ability of the BRICS grouping to navigate complex geopolitical issues and reach a unified position. The meeting will also provide an opportunity for the member countries to discuss other issues of common interest, such as economic cooperation and regional security. As the meeting gets underway, all eyes will be on the BRICS countries to see if they can put aside their differences and work towards a common goal.
