BRICS Delhi meeting kept core agenda intact amid ongoing tensions: Report
Moscow, May 23
The recent BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi held under India's 2026 chairship showed that the bloc has navigated the intense geopolitical turbulence, successfully insulating its core agenda from the escalating tensions of the Gulf War.
According to a report in the think tank Politeia Research Foundation (PRF), although the forum has weathered the crisis, the real challenges lie ahead, making "quiet and smart diplomacy" essential for the Delhi summit's success.
Following the meeting held on May 14-15, the members agreed not to issue a joint statement, opting instead for a 'Chair's Statement and Outcome Document'.
According to India's Sherpa for BRICS and Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sudhakar Dalela, the document reflected the "common position" of members on almost all subjects.
"A close reading of the long document, which runs to 63 paragraphs, shows that despite persistent differences over the Gulf War, the central BRICS agenda has advanced, with progress in strengthening the forum and its essential goals. Hence, some observers who rushed to announce the demise or downfall of BRICS may have got it wrong," the report noted.
The BRICS meeting, it said, was widely anticipated to witness a direct confrontation, with delegates from Iran and the UAE accusing each other over the outbreak of armed hostilities and the continuing war involving Israel and the US.
As the BRICS chair, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar acknowledged without hesitation, "There were differing views among some members regarding the situation in West Asia/the Middle East".
The report highlighted that most participants called for an early resolution of the current conflict through dialogue and diplomacy while stressing respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
At the same time, there was also broad agreement on ensuring safe maritime trade routes and protecting civilian infrastructure and lives - reflecting convergence alongside differences.
"Beyond the Middle East, BRICS foreign ministers had before them a rich menu of ideas and proposals to address, keeping in mind that their meeting was a bridge between the successful summit held in July 2025 in Rio de Janeiro and the forthcoming summit in Delhi, which is likely to take place in September this year," the report stated.
Highlighting the successful outcome of the meeting, the report said that document mirrored almost all of India's key priorities, including "stronger formulations on UN Security Council reform, disaster management, food security, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and terrorism."
— IANS
Reader Comments
I'm glad they avoided a joint statement. Sometimes silence is golden when members are at loggerheads. The 63-paragraph outcome document shows real work was done behind the scenes. But I hope India pushes harder on counter-terrorism at the September summit - that's a non-negotiable for us.
As an outsider watching this, the fact that BRICS didn't collapse under the weight of the Gulf War is impressive. India deserves credit for finding common ground on maritime security and civilian protection. It's a reminder that multilateralism still works when you have a skilled chair.
"Quiet and smart diplomacy" - that's the Indian way 🇮🇳 We've always believed in dialogue over confrontation. The focus on food security and digital public infrastructure is exactly the kind of global public goods BRICS should champion. But I worry about the growing gap between India and China on these platforms...
Respectful criticism: While avoiding a joint statement was pragmatic, it also shows the limits of BRICS as a cohesive bloc. If members can't agree on basic language about a war, how effective can they be on harder issues like financial system reform? Still, glad India kept things moving forward.
The fact that India's priorities like UNSC reform, disaster management, and terrorism made it into the outcome document is a big win 🏆 This is how we leverage our G20 presidency and now BRICS chairship to shape global conversations. The 'bridge' between Rio and Delhi summits is well built.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.