Amid UAE-Iran rift, BRICS remains a divided house on West Asia; no joint statement after meeting
BRICS foreign ministers convened in New Delhi on May 14–15, 2026, as part of India's BRICS chairmanship, to prepare for the September annual summit.
The meeting could not produce a joint statement on the West Asia conflict due to irreconcilable differences between member states, particularly Iran and the UAE.
Iran's foreign minister called on BRICS members to collectively condemn what he termed "unlawful aggression," while the UAE's representative held a contrary position regarding Iran's alleged attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov intervened during heated exchanges between the two delegations to defuse tensions.
China's foreign minister was absent from the meeting, with China represented instead by its ambassador to India, underscoring the diplomatic complexity of the moment.
BRICS: Structure, Evolution, and Expansion
BRICS is an intergovernmental grouping originally constituted by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The first formal BRIC summit was held in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia; South Africa joined in 2010. The grouping was conceived as a platform to reform global governance structures perceived as dominated by Western powers, particularly the IMF and World Bank, and to amplify the voice of large emerging economies.
Key Details
- Original members (BRIC) formalised cooperation in 2009; South Africa joined in 2010/2011.
- In 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE joined as full members.
- Indonesia joined in January 2025; ten partner countries (including Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Vietnam, etc.) joined in 2025.
- India assumed the BRICS chairmanship in December 2025 for the year 2026.
- The September 2026 BRICS summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi.
Iran and the UAE are both new full members of BRICS (joined 2024), yet hold diametrically opposed positions on the West Asia conflict — making consensus impossible and exposing the structural challenge of the bloc's rapid expansion.
Consensus-Based Decision Making in Multilateral Blocs
Unlike supranational organisations such as the European Union, BRICS operates on the principle of unanimity/consensus — all members must agree for any formal declaration to be adopted. This is not enshrined in a treaty but is a founding norm of the grouping's functioning. The absence of a binding charter means geopolitical divergences among members can paralyse joint action.
Key Details
- BRICS has no charter or secretariat; decisions emerge through summits, ministerial meetings, and working groups.
- The grouping has previously struggled to reach consensus on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
- India, as chair, had a diplomatic interest in achieving consensus but was constrained by its own complex ties with Iran, the UAE, and Israel.
The failure to issue a joint statement on West Asia is a direct consequence of the consensus norm colliding with the divergent foreign policy interests of an expanded, more heterogeneous BRICS membership.
Strait of Hormuz and Energy Geopolitics
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is the world's most critical oil transit chokepoint. Approximately 20% of global oil and LNG trade passes through it daily. Iran's blockade of the strait following the outbreak of the 2026 US-Iran war created an energy shock affecting all BRICS members dependent on Gulf energy — particularly India and China.
Key Details
- Approximately 20% of world oil supply transits the Strait of Hormuz.
- India imports over 85% of its crude oil requirement, with a significant share sourced from the Gulf.
- The blockade contributed to Brent crude surging above $110–120 per barrel.
- India chairs BRICS while simultaneously navigating energy security, its strategic partnership with the UAE, and ties with Iran.
India's call at the BRICS meeting for "safe, unimpeded maritime flows" through the Strait of Hormuz reflects the direct energy security stakes for BRICS economies, even as members could not agree on a political statement about the underlying conflict.
India's Foreign Policy: Strategic Autonomy and Multi-Alignment
India's foreign policy framework is rooted in strategic autonomy — maintaining independent positions rather than aligning exclusively with any bloc. India is a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and pursues issue-based alignments. As BRICS chair in 2026, India must balance ties with the US, Russia, China, the UAE, Iran, and Israel simultaneously.
Key Details
- India's foreign policy is guided by "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (the world is one family) as an overarching principle.
- India is not a member of any formal military alliance.
- India has strategic partnerships with the UAE (signed Abraham Accords-adjacent pacts) as well as historical ties with Iran (Chabahar Port connectivity).
- Critics have noted that India's foreign policy interests as BRICS chair influenced the bloc's stance on the Iran war.
India's diplomatic position at the BRICS meeting — calling for maritime safety without directly condemning either side — exemplifies its strategic autonomy posture.
- BRICS first summit: 2009, Yekaterinburg, Russia (as BRIC)
- South Africa joined: 2010; attended as full member in 2011 summit
- 2024 expansion: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE joined as full members
- Indonesia joined BRICS: January 2025
- Ten BRICS partner countries admitted: 2025
- India's BRICS chairmanship year: 2026 (assumed December 2025)
- Strait of Hormuz: ~20% of world's oil and LNG transits daily
- Brent crude during conflict: surged above $110–120 per barrel
- BRICS 2026 annual summit venue: New Delhi (scheduled September 2026)
- China represented by ambassador (not foreign minister) at May 2026 meeting