BRICS Summit Produces Declaration Despite Iran-UAE Rift

Leaders from the expanded BRICS bloc gathered in New Delhi on Saturday for their annual summit, adopting a joint declaration that stresses cooperation on trade, supply chains and energy security while sidestepping direct references to ongoing conflicts. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hosting the event, described the group as having come of age and called for translating consensus into concrete global outcomes.

The 11-member grouping, which now includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, accounts for nearly half the world's population and around 40 percent of global economic output. Discussions centered on reducing reliance on the US dollar through expanded cross-border payment systems and greater use of local currencies, alongside reforms to Western-led financial institutions. Members also addressed artificial intelligence cooperation and food security amid disruptions from wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, on his first visit to India in seven years, urged the bloc to assume a peacemaking role in the Middle East conflict, stating that the fighting does not serve the common interests of the international community. State media reported Xi emphasizing BRICS as a model of self-reliance for the Global South. His arrival signals a cautious thaw between India and China following the deadly 2020 border clash, with both sides retaining significant military deployments along their disputed frontier.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, attending his first BRICS summit, met separately with Modi and told Indian religious leaders that Tehran would not yield to US and Israeli pressure. He framed Iran's stance as resistance to bullying. Modi, in bilateral talks, stressed the need for dialogue, diplomacy and freedom of navigation through key routes like the Strait of Hormuz, where shipments have slowed amid the six-month-old US and Israeli military campaign against Iran.

The summit unfolded against a backdrop of internal divisions, particularly between Iran and the UAE over the Gulf conflict, and broader tensions involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis. Negotiators worked through differences to secure the joint declaration, which condemns unilateral aggression without naming specific countries. Indian officials led consultations to bridge positions, resulting in language focused on maintaining smooth global flows rather than assigning blame.

US President Donald Trump separately claimed Iran was likely behind an aerial attack on a Saudi pipeline, while noting that Houthi rebels had signaled they preferred to avoid direct US involvement. Such statements underscore the external pressures facing the bloc as it promotes alternatives to dollar-dominated systems.

The gathering highlights efforts by emerging economies to assert greater influence in global affairs, even as competing interests among members test their cohesion. With China set to assume the BRICS chairmanship next year, the New Delhi meeting positions the group to advance initiatives on energy cooperation and institutional reform amid persistent geopolitical strains.