The Iran war looms large as BRICS leaders gather in New Delhi

Key Points:

• The upcoming BRICS Summit in New Delhi faces heightened tensions due to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, complicating consensus among member countries on trade and economic objectives.
• India, as the 2026 BRICS chair, is balancing its growing relationship with Israel against divisions within the bloc, especially given Iran’s recent membership and conflicts with other members like the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
• The BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in May showed weakened unity, with no unified stance on condemning U.S. and Israeli actions in Iran, indicating that the summit’s final declaration will likely avoid direct mention of the Iran war.
• Economic cooperation remains a key focus, with India emphasizing institutional reforms and development, highlighted by progress on the BRICS Strategy for Economic Partnership 2030 and initiatives like BRICS Pay and potential Central Bank Digital Currency integration.
• The U.S. continues to oppose BRICS efforts to reduce dollar dependency, imposing tariffs and sanctions to pressure Iran and its allies; meanwhile, China and Russia support expanding Iran’s role in BRICS, increasing challenges for India’s leadership in fostering unity.