Iran war reshapes Brics ties but also exposes divisons

What the report says

Brics leaders meeting in Delhi used the summit to project unity at a time of widening geopolitical strain, but the BBC reported that deep differences remained over what the group should stand for and how far it should challenge Western influence. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted leaders including China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian and the UAE’s Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, underscoring India’s ability to bring rivals together in one place.

The meeting came against the backdrop of the war involving Iran and Israel and renewed trade tensions, which sharpened debate within Brics about a changing global order. India has been wary of presenting the bloc as openly anti-Western, while China, Russia and Iran have generally seen it as a way to reduce US and European influence. The BBC said the summit produced a joint declaration, but it avoided naming countries and largely steered clear of the most divisive issues.

The declaration called for restraint in the Middle East, criticized attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities, and backed a two-state solution on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It did not mention Russia’s war in Ukraine, and it raised concerns about tariffs and sanctions without directly naming the US. The report said these omissions reflected the difficulty of building consensus among members with competing interests.

Beyond the formal text, the summit created opportunities for diplomatic contact, including reported talks between Iran and the UAE and a rare in-person meeting between Xi and Modi. The BBC said the broader significance is that Brics can still provide a forum for dialogue, even if agreement on a new international order remains elusive.