India is engaged in “frank” conversations with all Brics member states to finalise a consensus declaration at the grouping’s summit in New Delhi next month, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday against the backdrop of differences between Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the West Asia conflict.
India’s Efforts to Navigate Brics Diplomatic Challenges
Recent discussions among Brics nations have emphasized the need for dialogue and diplomacy to address the crisis in West Asia, as well as to maintain the smooth flow of maritime commerce. A foreign ministers’ meeting in May ended without a joint statement due to disagreements between Iran and the UAE. Indian officials indicated that the chair’s statement and outcome document from this meeting, which highlighted two contentious paragraphs, could serve as a basis for the upcoming summit’s declaration.
India is actively engaging in open discussions with Brics member states to build consensus on key issues ahead of the summit. The Ministry of External Affairs has stated that India’s Brics chairmanship is focused on the theme of “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” which reflects a commitment to a people-centric approach prioritizing humanitarian values.
This will be Xi’s first trip to India in seven years, and he is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India is set to host the 18th Brics Summit in the capital during September 12-13, with Chinese President Xi Jinping , Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to attend .
The discussions among the Brics states in preparatory meetings have focused on territorial integrity, the free flow of maritime commerce, the protection of civilians and civil infrastructure, and the resolution of the West Asia conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, the people said.
