Iran war tests India’s Brics leadership as ‘political relevance’ questions mount

The bloc could not agree on a common position on the war at a meeting of Brics officials to discuss Middle East and North Africa issues in New Delhi last week.

Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said during an interministerial briefing that Brics members could not reach an agreement on April 24 because of differences over the conflict in “West Asia”, a term commonly used in Indian diplomatic circles to refer to the Middle East.

In its capacity as the current Brics chair, India issued a less forceful document reflecting the outcome of talks among the bloc’s members without committing to a common stance, Jaiswal said.

Members “expressed deep concern” over recent developments in the Middle East, and discussed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Lebanon and post-conflict reconstruction in Syria, among other issues, according to the document.