Brics summit 2026 in Delhi: Iran war reshapes ties but exposes divides
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By Azadeh Moshiri, South Asia Correspondent, reporting from Delhi
Published 19 minutes ago
This weekend, some of the world’s most powerful leaders gathered in Delhi around a vast circular table. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for them to become "rule-shapers", not "rule-takers". Among them were members of the Brics group: Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
These nations have complex histories—from border disputes to military confrontations. India and China clashed violently along their disputed border in 2020. Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been on opposing sides of the Middle East conflict.
The weekend’s summit provided an opportunity for reassessing global relationships in light of the Iran war. Achieving clear outcomes, however, was challenging, with tensions evident throughout.
Brics offers an alternative to Western influence for countries like China, Russia, and Iran. Yet, India has avoided positioning itself as an anti-Western bloc, aiming instead to preserve relationships with diverse nations.
"There are countries in the grouping who want it to be anti-western, but it isn’t," says Anil Trigunayat, a veteran Indian diplomat. India’s goal, he explains, is "strategic autonomy in an era of war" and enhanced collaboration within Brics.
The summit resulted in a joint declaration despite stark divisions. Avoidance of contentious issues left few solutions, yet the document was adopted without failure.
Interestingly, the declaration:
- Urges "maximum restraint" regarding the Middle East conflict.
- Condemns attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities without assigning blame.
- Reaffirms support for a two-state solution and opposes forced Palestinian displacement or actions legitimizing occupation.
It remains to be seen how these words will translate into action as global tensions persist.
