New Delhi: India is preparing to host the BRICS summit in New Delhi this weekend as the expanded group faces a difficult test of unity over the continuing war involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
The 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. India, which holds the BRICS chairmanship this year, is seeking greater cooperation among member countries on global security, energy, trade, finance, health and sustainable development.
The war involving Iran has emerged as one of the most sensitive issues ahead of the summit. The challenge is particularly difficult because Iran and the United Arab Emirates are both BRICS members but have sharply different positions on the conflict.
The United Arab Emirates has been affected by Iranian attacks during the conflict and has strongly criticised Iran's actions. Iran, meanwhile, has called for stronger condemnation of the US and Israeli military action against it.
The differences have already made it difficult for BRICS members to agree on a common position. A BRICS meeting on the Middle East in April failed to produce a joint statement. The foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi in May also recorded differing views among members instead of reaching a common position on the conflict.
The September summit will bring national leaders together, giving India an opportunity to seek agreement among members at the highest political level. However, there is no guarantee that the countries will agree on the wording of a final declaration, particularly on the war.
The conflict has also created wider economic and energy concerns for the BRICS countries. Fighting around the Strait of Hormuz has severely disrupted shipping in the region and increased pressure on global energy markets. Brent crude oil moved above $100 a barrel on September 9, its first rise above that level since July, as concerns about oil supply disruptions increased.
The issue is especially important for India and China, two of the world's major energy consuming countries, as well as for the Gulf countries that are part of BRICS.
The summit also has an important India China dimension. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the meeting in what would be his first visit to India in seven years. India and China have taken steps towards improving relations after years of tension following the 2020 border clash.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the summit, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also expected in New Delhi. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed his participation. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is also expected to attend.
United Nations Secretary General António Guterres is expected to be in New Delhi for the summit. The United Nations has said he will be there for the BRICS meeting, although further details of his programme were still being finalised as of September 10.
India has so far stressed dialogue and diplomacy in dealing with the regional crisis. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and for freedom of navigation and commerce. He has also stressed that commercial shipping and seafarers should not be harmed.
The summit is not limited to the Iran war. India has placed a broad agenda before BRICS, including economic cooperation, energy security, critical supply chains, health, innovation, disaster resilience and sustainable development.
India is also promoting greater financial cooperation among BRICS countries, including work on cross border payments. The group is expected to discuss ways to strengthen trade and investment and increase cooperation in financial and institutional matters.
BRICS now includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The expansion has increased the group's economic and political weight, but it has also brought together countries with different interests and foreign policy positions.
The recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek offered some grounds for optimism. India, China, Russia and Iran were among the countries that agreed on language concerning the Iran conflict, although the UAE is not a member of the SCO. Indian officials and analysts therefore see the outcome as an indication that differences can sometimes be managed through diplomacy.
For India, the New Delhi summit will be more than a regular international meeting. It will test whether the expanded BRICS can find common ground during a major regional crisis while continuing to pursue cooperation on economic and global issues.
The final outcome remains uncertain. The immediate question is whether India can help members agree on language about the Iran conflict without allowing their differences to overshadow the wider BRICS agenda.