BRICS agrees to joint declaration amid Middle East tensions, stops short of naming any country

BRICS countries on Saturday agreed on a joint declaration that will condemn unilateral aggression by any country, as the bloc seeks to project unity on the global stage amid escalating conflict in the Middle East.

The declaration is unlikely to name any country, Reuters reported citing sources. Leaders of the member countries are expected to approve the document later on Saturday.

The agreement came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on BRICS to increase its influence on global affairs.

The summit is being held against the backdrop of renewed fighting between the United States and Iran, with the conflict deepening divisions among BRICS members, including Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

The latest escalation followed a pause in fighting through much of August, while Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen tightened their grip in the Red Sea region.

The negotiations saw differences on several contentious issues but India led sustained consultations to bridge competing positions and build consensus among members, said an Indian source with direct knowledge of the development.

Against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts and heightened tensions in the Gulf region, securing consensus presented a particularly complex diplomatic challenge, the source said.

Putin, Xi, Ramaphosa in attendance
Foreign policy experts had said the key test for the bloc would be finding language on the Middle East crisis that both Abu Dhabi and Tehran could accept, clearing the way for a joint declaration.

Such a joint statement was unlikely to influence the current geopolitical landscape, but would demonstrate unity by a grouping of emerging nations against economically debilitating policies such as Western sanctions, they said.

BRICS foreign ministers meeting in New Delhi in May were unable to issue a joint statement, stymied by differences between Iran and the UAE.

The BRICS bloc is seeking to raise its profile by influencing international rules and demanding the reform of institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organisation, which some members view as being dominated by Western powers.

Leaders attending the summit are Russian President Vladimir Putin, China's Xi Jinping, Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian, South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, among others.

Chinese President Xi said BRICS countries should firmly stand on the right side of history by steering the international order toward greater equity and justice.

New Delhi, which has strong ties with the United States, Russia, Israel, Iran and the Gulf Arab states, is engaged in a diplomatic balancing act, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushing BRICS members to boost trade cooperation, reduce barriers and expand business opportunities.

Every country should have a voice, says Modi
"While strengthening BRICS, we must also determine the direction of global reform," Modi said. "The Global South is today in the front row when it comes to global crises, but in the back row when it comes to decision-making. We have to transform this pyramid and privilege into a platform of partnership — where every country has a voice, every member has a stake."

Modi also reiterated India's longstanding demand for expansion of the UN Security Council, including permanent seats for itself and other emerging powers, saying that reform of the Security Council can no longer be delayed. "The message of this BRICS Summit being held in India should be clear: If our future is shared, then the right to shape that future must also be shared," Modi said.

BRICS, which positions itself as an alternative to the West-centric world order, originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. However, it expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with Indonesia joining in 2025. Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam became BRICS partner countries last year.

The bloc has emerged as an influential group, bringing together 11 major emerging economies that represent around 49.5 per cent of the global population, around 40 per cent of global GDP and around 26 per cent of global trade.

In a media statement, the MEA said India's BRICS Chairship was guided by the theme ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’.
(With Reuters inputs)