BRICS Foreign Ministers Meet in New Delhi Ahead of September Summit

Foreign ministers from BRICS countries began a two-day meeting in New Delhi on May 14, 2026. The gathering is intended to prepare for the 18th BRICS summit scheduled for September in India. India's Ministry of External Affairs said sessions are taking place at Bharat Mandapam, with most meetings held there on Thursday and one session scheduled for Friday.

Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar opened the meeting by calling for safe and unimpeded maritime flows through international waters. The statement referenced the Strait of Hormuz, which remains under blockade. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on BRICS members to condemn the United States and Israel over actions against Tehran.

The meeting occurs as the economic grouping faces internal divisions related to the conflict involving Iran. Host India is balancing relations with Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Israel. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi did not attend because of President Donald Trump's state visit to Beijing.

China is represented by its Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong.

BRICS brings together major emerging economies to coordinate on security and economic policies. The group seeks to increase the influence of the Global South in international organizations. The original members were Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010.

In 2023, BRICS invited Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to join. All except Saudi Arabia have formally joined. Indonesia became a member in January 2025. Argentina declined an invitation after Javier Milei was elected president.

The group holds an annual summit hosted by rotating member countries. Brazil hosted in 2024 and Russia also hosted events that year. India is the host for 2026.

" Discussions include people-centric healthcare and collaboration on communicable and non-communicable diseases. The conflict involving Iran is also being addressed and will help set the agenda for the September summit. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is representing Russia.

South Africa's Ronald Lamola, Brazil's Mauro Vieira and Indonesia's Sugiono are attending. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi is participating and held separate meetings with Jaishankar and other officials. It is not clear who is representing the United Arab Emirates.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the visiting ministers by conference call on Thursday afternoon. The war involving Iran entered its 76th day on May 14. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict continue. An earlier BRICS meeting on the Middle East and North Africa held in New Delhi in April ended without a joint statement after differences between Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

Tensions between those two countries have since increased.