Prime Minister Narendra Modi helped steer the BRICS grouping towards a consensus on the escalating conflict in the Middle East, with member countries adopting a joint declaration that called for “maximum restraint” and urged all sides to avoid steps that could further worsen the situation.
The agreement came after prolonged negotiations at the two-day 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where sharp differences existed among members over the language to be used on the conflict. India held consultations that continued until around 4 am as it sought to bridge divergent positions and secure consensus.
The New Delhi Declaration, adopted on Saturday, did not name individual countries. However, it expressed deep concern over the continuing escalation in the Middle East and called for restraint. The leaders also expressed “serious concern over deliberate attacks” on civilian infrastructure and nuclear facilities.
The declaration reaffirmed the bloc's commitment to resolving international disputes through dialogue, consultation and diplomacy.
India bridges differences among BRICS members
The consensus was particularly significant because Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are all members of the expanded BRICS grouping, despite their differing regional interests and positions.
The negotiations were complicated further by the wider geopolitical divisions within BRICS, which now brings together countries with substantially different economic, strategic and foreign policy priorities.
India's sustained diplomatic consultations helped prevent these differences from derailing the summit's joint statement, according to people familiar with the negotiations. The grouping's foreign ministers had failed to reach agreement on a joint statement in May, with differences between Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE contributing to the deadlock.
The final language was therefore seen as an important diplomatic achievement for New Delhi, particularly as BRICS sought to maintain unity amid an increasingly volatile situation in West Asia.
The declaration also condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, describing such attacks as violations of international law and relevant IAEA resolutions.
Iran, Gulf tensions test BRICS unity
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian adopted a defiant tone during the summit, saying the Iranian people would not surrender and would resist pressure from the United States.
The backdrop to the BRICS discussions was a sharp escalation in fighting in the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia had been forced to close a key pipeline following multiple attacks, while US forces carried out strikes on Iranian tankers. Oil prices climbed towards $110 a barrel, while Asian equities and bonds came under pressure.
The presence of Iran alongside Saudi Arabia and the UAE highlighted the difficulty of reaching a common position on the conflict. The final declaration therefore avoided directly naming countries while focusing on restraint, diplomacy and preventing further escalation.
The agreement marked the first consensus BRICS document to include language on the current West Asia crisis, according to reports.
Joint statement seen as diplomatic win for Modi
The successful conclusion of negotiations has been viewed as a diplomatic gain for Modi as India seeks to maintain strategic autonomy while managing relationships with Iran, the UAE, the United States and Israel.
Analysts have described India's ability to work behind the scenes with countries including China and Russia as significant, particularly given the divisions within the expanded BRICS grouping.
The summit also provided New Delhi with an opportunity to strengthen its standing among Global South countries and demonstrate its ability to engage with nations across competing ideological and geopolitical camps. This has gained added significance as India navigates tensions with Washington, including the impact of US trade policies.
In his opening remarks at the summit, Modi said the Global South was “in the front row of global crises but in the back row of decision-making”. He called for the existing “pyramid of privilege” to be transformed into a “platform of partnership” in which every country has a voice and every member has a stake.
Modi and Xi push India-China ties forward
The BRICS summit also provided a platform for a renewed engagement between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who visited India for the first time in seven years.
The two leaders agreed to strengthen business and transport links as India and China continue efforts to repair ties damaged by the 2020 military clash along their disputed Himalayan border.
During their meeting, Xi said China viewed relations with India from a strategic and long-term perspective. He described the two countries as the world's two most populous nations and key members of the Global South, saying they had important responsibilities amid a turbulent international environment.
The Indian and Chinese sides also stressed the importance of promoting cultural exchanges, business linkages and greater mobility between the two countries.
Xi's visit itself was closely watched as a sign of the cautious improvement in bilateral relations following years of tensions. While military tensions along the border have eased, businesses in both countries continue to face hurdles including red tape, visa delays and restrictions on the sale of industrial equipment.
BRICS takes aim at tariffs and sanctions
Economic issues formed another major component of the New Delhi Declaration, with BRICS leaders criticising unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures without directly naming the United States or President Donald Trump.
The bloc expressed serious concern that unilateral trade measures were distorting global commerce, disrupting supply chains and contributing to economic instability. It also criticised unilateral and secondary sanctions, an issue particularly relevant to restrictions imposed on Iran and Russia.
BRICS countries reiterated their support for greater use of local currencies in trade, stronger cross-border payment mechanisms and reforms to institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to provide developing countries with a greater voice.
The economic language reflected the broader BRICS effort to strengthen cooperation among emerging economies while reducing vulnerabilities arising from dependence on established Western-led financial and trade systems.
The New Delhi summit thus produced a measure of unity despite the deep geopolitical differences within the expanded grouping, with India using its chairship to push consensus on some of the most contentious issues facing the bloc.