The BRICS foreign ministers' meeting opened on May 14 in New Delhi, India, running through May 15, as a preparatory event for the 18th BRICS Summit hosted by India in September. The meeting coincides with U.S. President Donald Trump's three-day state visit to Beijing at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
What is BRICS and who attends?
BRICS is a group of major emerging economies, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, later expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Indonesia (joined January 2025). Saudi Arabia has not formally joined, while Argentina declined an invitation.
According to India's Ministry of External Affairs, the main sessions are held at the Bharat Mandapam convention center, near the Indian Supreme Court. On the afternoon of May 14, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in a joint virtual session with heads of delegation.
Foreign ministers attending include Russia's Sergey Lavrov, South Africa's Ronald Lamola, Brazil's Mauro Vieira, Iran's Abbas Araghchi, and Indonesia's Sugiono. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi did not attend due to hosting President Trump; Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong will represent China. The UAE's representative remains unclear.
Agenda and flashpoints
The meeting's theme is "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability," focusing on comprehensive healthcare and cooperative responses to health challenges. However, analysts note the Iran war (now in its 76th day) will dominate discussions.
Iran sent Foreign Minister Araghchi, who is expected to hold separate meetings with Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and other officials. In April, a BRICS deputy ministers' meeting on the Middle East and North Africa in New Delhi ended without a joint statement due to Iran-UAE disagreements over the war. Iran-UAE tensions have since escalated.
Israel's genocidal war in Gaza also remains a contentious issue within the bloc. India, a close Israeli ally, has previously struggled to achieve consensus on this matter.
Impact of the Trump-Xi meeting and the Hormuz crisis
President Trump's ongoing Beijing visit means China did not send its top diplomat to New Delhi. Analysts suggest Trump may seek to persuade Xi Jinping to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz—a route that carried 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas before the war, currently restricted by Iran since March.
In April, the U.S. imposed a naval blockade on vessels entering and exiting Iranian ports, disrupting global energy supplies. This directly impacts BRICS members such as India and China, which depend on Gulf oil, along with other nations facing surging fuel prices.
Significance of the meeting
Observers note that the meeting occurs amid challenges to BRICS cohesion, as India tightens ties with the U.S. and Israel, Iran-UAE conflict escalates, and members hold divergent interests. The meeting is expected to struggle to produce a strong joint statement beyond generic language on respect for sovereignty, similar to BRICS's previous stance on the Ukraine war.
