Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 10: India will host the BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, with the grouping facing a major test in finding common ground on the West Asia conflict amid differences between members Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
The summit comes more than six months after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, which joined BRICS in 2024. The conflict has virtually shut down the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's key oil-trade routes, pushing crude prices above $100 a barrel.
The UAE, which has been hit by Iranian missiles during the conflict, suspended all trade and financial transactions with Iran in August.
Foreign policy experts said a key challenge for BRICS would be finding acceptable language on the Middle East crisis that both Tehran and Abu Dhabi could support, allowing the bloc to issue a joint declaration.
While such a statement is unlikely to alter the immediate geopolitical situation, experts said it could demonstrate that emerging economies can maintain unity against economically damaging policies such as Western sanctions.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the summit during his first visit to India in seven years, highlighting Beijing's importance to BRICS and placing China alongside host India at the centre of efforts to maintain unity within the expanded grouping.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto are also expected to attend. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is also scheduled to participate.
The UAE is expected to be represented by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the differences between the UAE and Iran were having a "negative impact" and were complicating the drafting of a joint declaration. However, he expressed hope that the leaders could find wording acceptable to both countries.
BRICS originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining later. The grouping has since expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Indonesia, reflecting its ambition to represent a wider Global South.
Saudi Arabia's status in the grouping remains ambiguous. It has not formally accepted full membership but participates through lower-level delegations. Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud is expected to attend the Delhi meeting.
Michael Kugelman, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said tensions among several newer BRICS members could pose a challenge to an organisation that operates on consensus.
"There is an irony here: BRICS expansion reflects its growing appeal and prominence. But that very expansion, because of the divergent views of the new members, could make the group less effective," he said.
In May, BRICS foreign ministers failed to issue a joint statement after a meeting in New Delhi because of differences between Iran and the UAE.
However, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit earlier this month offered some optimism. Its members managed to agree on language concerning the Iran conflict despite differing positions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Xi, Putin and Pezeshkian, among other leaders, signed an SCO joint declaration condemning the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran and Western sanctions.
Former Indian diplomat Rajiv Bhatia said the SCO declaration had raised hopes that BRICS could also bridge its internal differences, although the UAE is not a member of the SCO.
"There has been a significant forward movement in Bishkek at the SCO summit," Bhatia said, noting that members with differing positions, including some that are pro-US, were able to agree on a common formulation.
Experts also said US President Donald Trump's protectionist policies and unilateral tariffs could encourage BRICS members to strengthen cooperation. The Delhi summit could also provide opportunities for bilateral and trilateral meetings between participating leaders.
Beyond the issue of the Middle East, attention is expected to focus on a possible meeting between Modi and Xi, as well as scheduled talks between Modi and Putin.
A Modi-Xi meeting would potentially be their third since India-China ties began improving last year following an agreement aimed at easing military tensions along their disputed Himalayan border.
The two leaders are expected to review efforts to stabilise bilateral relations and expand economic engagement.
Peskov said Putin would hold bilateral talks with Modi on Friday ahead of the summit, with trade and economic cooperation expected to feature prominently.
The meeting comes as Russia remains one of India's largest energy suppliers, while New Delhi seeks to maintain its longstanding strategic partnership with Moscow amid pressure from Washington over India's purchases of Russian oil.