Finance
A day after Iran asked Delhi for a statement on behalf of BRICS, which is currently chaired by India, condemning the US and Israeli strikes, the External Affairs Ministry said on Saturday that it has been difficult to reach an agreement on the issue due to the involvement of BRICS member countries in the ongoing conflict.
Without naming any country, MEA’s official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “Some members of the BRICS are directly involved in the current situation in the West Asia region, which has impacted forging a consensus on a common BRICS position on the ongoing conflict. As Chair of BRICS, India has been facilitating discussions among members through the Sherpa channel.”
He said the last virtual BRICS Sherpa meeting was held on March 12. In addition, “Indian leadership has been engaging with leaders of BRICS members in the region. India will continue to engage,” the MEA spokesperson said.
The Indian Express reported on Saturday that Tehran had asked Delhi to take the lead in drafting a statement on behalf of the BRICS condemning the US and Israeli assaults against Iran over the last two weeks. This put Delhi in a diplomatic pickle because it has refrained from taking sides in the ongoing strife.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called with leaders of countries in the region affected by Iran strikes, condemning the attacks and thanking them for caring after the Indian people “in these difficult times”.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also spoke to his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday night — their fourth conversation since the outbreak of hostilities on February 28. In a post on X on Friday, Jaishankar said they “discussed bilateral matters as also BRICS-related issues”.
The BRICS grouping includes the original five countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), as well as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Indonesia. Iranian missiles and drones have targeted Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both of which house US facilities and soldiers. The fact that all three nations are BRICS members has complicated Delhi’s diplomatic efforts.
India, which retains the grouping’s rotational chair till 2026, is set to host the BRICS leaders’ conference later this year.
In the previous two weeks, Prime Minister Modi has spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran, all of whom are BRICS members. Jaishankar has also spoken with his counterparts in these nations, as well as Russia.
The BRICS has evolved as a prominent association because it brings together 11 key emerging economies from around the world, accounting for around 49.5% of the worldwide population, 40% of global GDP, and 26% of global trade.
Source: IE
