New Delhi: India will host foreign ministers from member nations of BRICS next month, including representatives from Iran and the United Arab Emirates, at a crucial meeting taking place against the backdrop of the escalating West Asia conflict.
The BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on May 14 and 15. The gathering will serve as an important preparatory event ahead of the 17th BRICS Summit, which India will host later this year as the current chair of the grouping.
New Delhi has invited all member nations to participate in the meeting. Sergey Lavrov has already confirmed his attendance on behalf of Russia. Other BRICS members include Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
The meeting is expected to take place at a sensitive time as several member countries are directly linked to the ongoing crisis in West Asia. The conflict intensified following military strikes on Iran earlier this year by a US Israel coalition, leading to rising geopolitical tensions and concerns over global energy supplies.
The crisis has also triggered disruptions in oil transit through the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes for crude oil exports. Attacks on key energy facilities in the Persian Gulf region have further increased fears of a wider energy crisis with global economic consequences.
Earlier this year, India hosted the first meeting of BRICS Sherpas and Sous Sherpas in New Delhi on February 9 and 10 to outline the group’s priorities under the theme “Building for resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.”
The upcoming foreign ministers’ meeting is expected to address the evolving situation in West Asia. Iran has urged India, in its capacity as BRICS chair, to issue a formal statement condemning the strikes against it. However, reaching a common position has proved challenging as member countries hold differing views on the conflict.
India is currently engaging with all BRICS members in an effort to build consensus and formulate a balanced response to the crisis.
