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India is a close strategic partner of the U.S. and Israel. But it also positions itself as a key voice of the Global South and maintains close strategic and economic relationships with Russia and China, respectively. This balancing act was on display on September 12-13 when India hosted the 18th BRICS summit in Delhi. Any summit that brings together the leaders of India, Russia and China assumes strategic significance. This time it was even more consequential because it took place amid an ongoing and widening conflict in West Asia, India’s extended neighbourhood.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Israel in February, just days before Israel and the U.S. launched their war on Iran. More than six months into the war, Mr. Modi was seen walking hand in hand with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian in Delhi. India doesn’t see a contradiction in these positions. Rather, they are part of New Delhi’s multi-engagement approach, rooted in both India’s continued rise and in the emergence of a more balanced international order. Groupings such as BRICS play a critical role in shaping the latter.

We atThe Hinduhave been covering the summit rigorously from Delhi. To get a ringside view of the meet and its key takeaway, I turned to Suhasini Haidar, our diplomatic affairs editor. She says there is a growing consensus among BRICS members that the current international order is unfair and unjust and needs to change. Read what she has to say:

What is your main takeaway from the BRICS summit? 

The main takeaway from the BRICS summit is that it’s always possible for diplomacy and as consensus-building to override bilateral narratives and conflicts. This was perhaps the most difficult BRICS summit in recent years at which to forge consensus. That was largely because of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, which began on February 28. India as the host is in a particular position where it is close to the U.S. and very close to Israel but it also wanted to forge a consensus while maintaining its ties with other BRICS members, particularly Iran. That’s how a consensus was eventually built, through a compromise of positions by all the parties. 

Another big takeaway is that apart from the Big 2 –Russia and China – these are emerging economies that are primarily seeking economic development for their respective countries. Some of the BRICS consensus has been forged around that idea: food, fuel and fertilizer security and trade. These are the areas in which these countries want to work together. 

How did the Delhi Declaration address the conflicts in West Asia? 

Suhasini Haidar: The Delhi Declaration addressed the conflicts in West Asia in great detail, with very strong criticism of Israel, for example, over its actions in Lebanon and Palestine, particularly in Gaza. However, the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei, and Iran’s strikes on its neighbours, particularly the UAE [another BRICS member], found no mention. There was a pointed reference to attacks on civilian infrastructure as well as nuclear installations. 

It is also very clear that the basic difference that held up consensus was between the UAE and Iran. Iran wanted a strong condemnation of the U.S. and Israeli attacks on it, but the UAE wanted an equal condemnation of Iran’s attacks on its neighbours. Iran, of course, has consistently said it cannot agree to this because, as a member state, it cannot be seen criticising itself, and, secondly, it considers these attacks were in self defence. This basic contradiction between the two was resolved through a compromise: both sides were told that brother would get its way. There was a third compromise, and that concerned India’s position on Israel – there are very strong paragraphs criticising Israel, including a reference to South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ.

Sceptics argue that BRICS is a China-dominated grouping and that it is internally divided. Were internal divisions apparent in Delhi or would you say the grouping is coming of age as Mr. Modi said?

Unlike G7, where there is a very uniform view of the world, BRICS doesn’t have a uniform vision of how the world should look. But it does have a shared view that the world at present is imbalanced, unfair and unjust. That’s what holds these countries together. The idea that BRICS would not have internal divisions, like the G7, is unfair because BRICS emerged from countries that are not part of the G7, they are not part of the Western consensus. The idea of China dominating BRICS grouping would be true in terms of economics because China is by far the biggest economy among the members. But I don’t think this is just about the size of economies. It is also about countering western sanctions and tariffs, and there is a consensus on this front. 

Where BRICS is divided is on bilateral issues. India and China are the biggest examples, but BRICS provides a platform for the two countries to meet. Remember, Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi have not met on bilateral visits to each other’s countries since the [2020] Galwan clashes, but they do meet on the sidelines of summits such as BRICS and SCO. Egypt and Ethiopia have water disputes; Iran and the UAE have a major conflict between them; and there are other differences within the grouping over energy providers and energy consumers. These divisions have only grown since BRICS doubled in size. But the larger thread that holds these countries together is the idea that they feel the present world order needs to change.

West Asia watch

Last week also saw the dramatic Houthi advances in Yemen. The Shia rebels, who ended their four-year ceasefire and started attacking Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Saudi-backed government in July after a Saudi attack on a Houthi held airport in Sana’a, captured Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast and a strategically important island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. This is a significant development as it could strengthen the position of Iran in its ongoing war with the U.S. To understand the Houthi advances and its possible impact on the war in West Asia, read this piece: The new lords of the Red Sea

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday (September 13, 2026) called on the BRICS countries to “rally the Global South” to ensure that an increasingly volatile international order was “free from double standards”, even as he offered a five-point AI and smart manufacturing initiative to take forward the digital future of the grouping.

Speaking at the second session of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, Mr. Xi, who departed for Beijing on Sunday (September 13, 2026) afternoon after a 24-hour visit to India, said the global landscape was currently “volatile and fraught with risks and challenges”.

“To bring stability to the world and make it a better place, BRICS countries must seize the historical initiative, rally the Global South, be an active, stabilising and positive force in international affairs, and advance the well-being of all humanity,” he said, according to remarks released by the Foreign Ministry in Beijing. “A world without rules is like a crossroads without traffic lights, where chaos and disorder are all but guaranteed.”

Mr. Xi did not name the United States. Still, Chinese officials have increasingly aimed at Washington for how they see its exercise of power in a self-described “rules-based order, ” especially after recent actions in Venezuela and Iran.

“The logic of ‘might makes right’ does not hold, and should have been discarded long ago,” Mr. Xi said. “Global South countries should jointly defend the rule of law in international affairs, safeguard the basic norms of international relations, including sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, and the peaceful settlement of disputes, and ensure that international law and international rules are applied to all, free from double standards.”

Calling on BRICS countries to take the lead in doing so, including by “leveraging our close ties with fellow emerging markets and Global South countries”, Mr. Xi put forward five AI- and technology-focused initiatives for the grouping. The proposal from Beijing comes against the backdrop of China’s push to offer its AI platforms and smart manufacturing know-how to emerging countries and its trade and technology war with the U.S.

The first initiative, he said, would see China become “a pioneer in establishing a BRICS AI open source community” and “build an open ecosystem for AI.”

BRICS Summit 2026 LIVE updates

China, which will host next year’s BRICS summit and take over as chair from India, has also proposed establishing a “BRICS special economic zone partnership, under which countries can set up an intelligent portal, coordinate policies, and build a new frontier for open development”.

Beijing has suggested establishing a “BRICS digital ecosystem cloud platform” and an “intelligent manufacturing cooperation initiative” that would see it “assist fellow BRICS countries in building smart factories and developing standards and norms, and jointly promote manufacturing transformation and upgrading.”

China has also proposed setting up a science and technology talent development initiative, including an “engineer cultivation alliance for joint development of engineers and mutual recognition of competency standards”, Mr. Xi said.

Leaders of the BRICS nations were meeting in New Delhi on Saturday (September 12, 2026) for a summit focused on trade, investment and global conflicts, as the bloc seeks a bigger role in shaping the global agenda for emerging and developing countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and counterparts from the other eight BRICS members. The summit comes as wars in Ukraine and the West Asia, along with rising U.S.-China tensions, test the bloc’s ability to find common ground among countries with competing geopolitical interests.

Thousands of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed around the summit venue and other parts of New Delhi, with traffic restrictions and diversions in place.

BRICS was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. It has since expanded to 11 members, representing about half the world’s population and a significant share of global economic output. The group has increasingly called for greater representation for developing countries in global institutions.

The leaders are expected to discuss economic cooperation, energy, food security, technology, supply chains and reforms to global institutions. Reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar will also be a priority, with members promoting greater use of their own currencies in trade and payments as well as pushing for alternatives to Western-dominated financial institutions.

For India, the summit highlights its effort to maintain strategic ties with Russia and Iran while deepening relations with the U.S. and Europe. New Delhi has sought to balance its longstanding partnerships with Moscow and Tehran with efforts to expand economic, defence, and technology ties with Washington and other Western nations.

India has maintained close ties with both Moscow and Tehran despite the war in Ukraine and tensions between Iran and the U.S., while calling for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve conflicts. Mr. Modi met Mr. Putin and Mr. Pezeshkian separately in New Delhi on Friday (September 11, 2026) ahead of the summit.

The summit comes as Iran, a member of the expanded BRICS group, is directly involved in the war in West Asia, putting the bloc’s unity under pressure as its members navigate differing positions on the conflict and relations with the U.S.

A key test for India will be whether it can secure a joint statement from leaders at the summit. Those divisions were evident in May, when BRICS Foreign Ministers failed to agree on a joint statement over the Iran war, forcing India to issue a chair’s summary instead.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held wide-ranging talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, with the two leaders discussing bilateral cooperation, global challenges and multilateral issues.

The current situation surrounding Ukraine, Iran, and Afghanistan was also discussed by the two foreign ministers, the state-run TASS news agency quoted the Russian foreign ministry as saying.

“A wide-ranging conversation this evening with FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia. Discussed our bilateral cooperation, regional hotspots, global challenges and multilateral issues,” Mr. Jaishankar posted on X on Tuesday (August 25, 2026).

S. Jaishankar, who arrived in Moscow on Sunday (August 23), is on a two-day visit to Russia.

The visit comes ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expected visit to New Delhi for the BRICS leaders’ summit on September 12-13.

“Talks between the two top diplomats focused on the current issues on the international agenda. In particular, they coordinated approaches to the situation in Afghanistan, around Iran, and Ukraine. The sides reiterated mutual commitment to continuing close coordination within the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, BRICS, and the Group of Twenty,” the TASS report said.

“The ministers agreed to strengthen trust-based dialogue at all levels.” The meeting assumes significance as India and Russia seek to deepen their economic engagement and expand cooperation in a range of areas.

On Monday (August 24), Mr. Jaishankar called on Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the two sides discussed economic ties, focusing on key areas such as trade, energy, fertilisers and nuclear cooperation.

Mr. Jaishankar also co-chaired a meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC).

The opening of the Strait of Hormuz is a very welcome move as it will help energy security, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) while welcoming counterparts from BRICS nations at a key conclave in New Delhi

Mr. Doval said freedom of navigation through the key shipping lane will benefit the countries of the region and beyond.

West Asia war LIVE updates: New Lebanon-Israel talks to begin, in shadow of U.S.-Iran deal

“India welcomes the MoU reached between the U.S. and Iran. We have got cautious optimism, and we hope that it will work. It will help energy security,” Mr. Doval said.

“The opening of the Strait of Hormuz is a very welcome development. It will remove supply chain bottlenecks and (address) shortages in sectors like fertilisers and chemicals,” he said.

Mr. Doval also delved into geopolitical tensions witnessed in various geographies and their impact on various countries.

“We are meeting at a very tumultuous time. The world is facing geopolitical uncertainties, economic strains, and disruptive technology,” Mr. Doval said.

“Not only that the threats are compounding, but the instruments and institutional mechanisms are increasingly finding themselves to be inadequate to resolve or mitigate these conflicts,” he said.

“Multilateralism is on the decline,” he said, adding BRICS has a major role to play in addressing various challenges.

“BRICS was conceived as an informal grouping of emerging economies to a more multipolar world order. It was to advance economic cooperation and strengthen the voice of the Global South,” he said.

Mr. Doval said BRICS also envisioned reforms in global governance and institutional improvements.

“BRICS is a very special coalition of countries that believe in peace, progress, development, and cooperation,” he added.

New Delhi is hosting the conclave in its capacity as the current chair of the influential grouping.

BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with Indonesia joining in 2025.

BRICS has emerged as an influential grouping as it brings together 11 major emerging economies of the world, representing around 49.5 per cent of the global population, around 40% of the global GDP and around 26% of the global trade.

The BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting that concluded here on Friday (May 15, 2026), reaffirmed the grouping’s call for the creation of an ‘independent and viable State of Palestine’ within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.