The 18th BRICS summit, held in New Delhi on September 12-13, convenes leaders from Iran, Russia, and China amidst a backdrop of escalating global conflicts and rising international tensions. This gathering marks a critical juncture for the bloc, founded 20 years ago, as it confronts challenges stemming from the ongoing wars in the Middle East and Europe.
The summit follows closely on the heels of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, where many of the same leaders convened. Originally established in 2006 with Brazil, Russia, India, and China, BRICS has since expanded to include nations such as Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Key Bilateral Meetings and Regional Dynamics
Significant attention is focused on the interactions between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Their discussions are expected to center on trade, connectivity, energy cooperation, and regional developments. This meeting occurs less than two weeks after both leaders reaffirmed their "longstanding" strategic partnership. Facing increased economic pressure from Washington, Tehran is actively seeking to strengthen its economic ties with Moscow and Beijing, including an application for membership in the BRICS New Development Bank. The presence of key trading partners like China, India, Russia, and the UAE in New Delhi offers Iran a crucial opportunity to engage multiple vital economic partners simultaneously as U.S. sanctions pressure intensifies.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to India, his first in seven years, is a significant development. This trip represents a notable step in cautiously normalizing relations between India and China following a deadly military clash in 2020 along their disputed Himalayan border. A bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi is anticipated to focus on maintaining this normalization and enhancing economic engagement, making it one of the summit's most closely observed sideline events.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Prime Minister Modi prior to the summit, marking Putin's first visit to India since the conflict in Ukraine began four years prior. Energy and defense are expected to be prominent topics, with Putin having previously criticized American tariffs as "illegal" and "unacceptable." Russia has highlighted the consistent growth of India's energy imports from Russia, reaching new monthly records. Moscow has also indicated an understanding of India's position on the Ukraine war, describing it as largely aligned with Russia's own stance and calling for India's facilitation of a peaceful resolution.
The summit also occurs shortly after Putin publicly acknowledged the United Arab Emirates' role in facilitating discussions regarding the Ukraine war, underscoring Abu Dhabi's growing diplomatic influence as another significant BRICS participant.
Saudi Arabia's role is also under scrutiny, particularly following renewed attacks on its cities by Iran-backed Houthi militias earlier in the week. Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia have become increasingly integral to India's strategic approach in the Gulf. The summit takes place as India attempts to manage growing divisions between Tehran and Abu Dhabi, especially after the UAE suspended commercial and financial dealings with Iran. This suspension has impacted Indian exporters, as Dubai has historically served as a primary commercial hub for India's trade with Iran, presenting a direct economic incentive for India to navigate these complexities.
Navigating Contradictions and Global Priorities
The BRICS summit presents a significant diplomatic test for India, requiring it to balance competing interests from Washington, Tehran, Moscow, Beijing, and the Gulf states, while also striving for unity among BRICS members. Harsh V. Pant, vice president at the Observer Research Foundation, noted that New Delhi's leadership of BRICS is an exercise in managing contradictions. He stated that the primary challenge is ensuring BRICS remains a platform for advancing Global South priorities rather than becoming a stage for great-power rivalry. Pant added that New Delhi aims to maintain focus on practical cooperation, including energy security, connectivity, and development, as opposed to ideological confrontation.
Achieving a unified stance among BRICS members is expected to be intricate, given the substantial geopolitical divergences, such as the U.S.-China rivalry, the Russia-Ukraine war, and tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the UAE. Prime Minister Modi faces the task of championing his own national priorities while advancing the summit's agenda and carefully avoiding an anti-U.S. orientation. Pant observed that this balancing act mirrors India's broader foreign policy, which seeks to maintain robust ties with Washington while continuing engagement with Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran.
India has consistently positioned itself as an advocate for dialogue throughout the ongoing conflicts, emphasizing themes of resilience, sustainability, cooperation, and innovation, while avoiding explicit alignment with any single side. However, experts caution that a failure to reach consensus could expose the limitations of the expanded BRICS grouping, especially as its broader membership has incorporated pre-existing regional rivalries.
Despite the absence of major Western powers, analysts underscore the alliance's significance. Several ceasefires in ongoing conflicts have involved mediation efforts by BRICS members or partners. Leaders gathering in New Delhi are expected to explore the forum's potential to generate diplomatic momentum, particularly after recent stalled attempts to revive negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Pant suggested that India's hosting of the BRICS summit provides a key opportunity to demonstrate the efficacy of its multi-alignment strategy in an increasingly polarized global political landscape. By convening countries like China, Russia, Iran, and Gulf states, while simultaneously deepening partnerships with the United States and the Quad, India signals its refusal to accept binary choices imposed by great-power competition.
The implications of the summit extend beyond diplomatic maneuvering, as disruptions from global conflicts have disproportionately affected developing nations. India, a major oil importer and consumer, has already experienced impacts on its energy sector and inflation. Pant concluded that the true measure of India's success will be its capacity to maintain BRICS as an inclusive and functional platform for Global South priorities, preventing geopolitical divisions from paralyzing the grouping.