Iran War, Oil Market Strains Loom Over BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Summit in India
New Delhi— Foreign ministers from the expanding BRICS bloc gathered in New Delhi on Thursday with the Iran conflict, energy market disruptions and divisions within the grouping expected to dominate talks amid growing global economic uncertainty.
India, which holds the BRICS presidency this year, is hosting the two-day meeting involving founding members Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa alongside newer entrants including Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
The summit comes as the war involving Iran and escalating instability around the Strait of Hormuz continue to disrupt shipping lanes and fuel markets, increasing pressure on energy-importing economies across Asia.
Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the discussions would focus on “global and regional issues of mutual interest,” while diplomats indicated energy security, trade flows and geopolitical coordination would be central themes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New Delhi late Wednesday, according to Iran’s embassy, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar shortly after arriving in the Indian capital.
Jaishankar said discussions with Lavrov covered “trade and investment, energy and connectivity” as well as broader multilateral issues, adding that political coordination among BRICS members had become increasingly important in a “volatile global environment.”The conflict in Iran has heightened concerns in India, which depends heavily on Middle Eastern crude oil and fertilizer imports.
Disruptions to Gulf shipping routes have contributed to volatility in oil and gas prices, complicating New Delhi’s economic outlook.Originally established in 2009 as a coalition of major emerging economies seeking greater influence in institutions traditionally dominated by Western powers, BRICS has expanded rapidly in recent years as member states sought to strengthen political and economic coordination across the Global South.
The bloc now includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, though officials have not confirmed whether all member states are represented at the meeting.Despite efforts to project unity, internal divisions remain pronounced.
Differences over the Middle East conflict, relations with Western powers and regional rivalries have complicated attempts to present a unified diplomatic position.Indian officials declined to confirm whether the ministers would issue a joint communique at the end of the summit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet participating foreign ministers ahead of a broader BRICS leaders’ summit scheduled later this year.
