3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Mar 15, 2026 04:04 AM IST
A DAY after Iran reached out to Delhi for a statement on behalf of BRICS, currently chaired by India, condemning the US and Israeli strikes, the External Affairs Ministry said on Saturday that it has been difficult to forge a consensus on the issue because of involvement of BRICS member countries in the ongoing conflict.
Without naming any country, MEA’s official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “Some members of the BRICS are directly involved in the current situation in the West Asia region, which has impacted forging a consensus on a common BRICS position on the ongoing conflict. As Chair of BRICS, India has been facilitating discussions among members through the Sherpa channel.”
He said the last virtual BRICS Sherpa meeting was held on March 12. In addition, “Indian leadership has been engaging with leaders of BRICS members in the region. India will continue to engage,” the MEA spokesperson said.
The Indian Express reported on Saturday that Tehran had reached out to Delhi to take the lead in issuing a statement on behalf of the BRICS, condemning the US and Israeli strikes against Iran in the last two weeks. This put Delhi in a diplomatic pickle since it has stayed away from taking sides in the ongoing conflict.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to leaders of the countries in the region hit in Iran strikes, condemned the attacks and thanked them for looking after the Indian community “in these difficult times”.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also spoke to his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday night — their fourth conversation since the outbreak of hostilities on February 28. In a post on X on Friday, Jaishankar said they “discussed bilateral matters as also BRICS-related issues”.
The BRICS grouping has Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (the original five), besides Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Indonesia. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which host US bases and personnel, have been targeted by Iranian missiles and drones. The fact that all three countries are in the BRICS has made diplomatic navigation difficult for Delhi.
Story continues below this ad
India, which holds the rotational presidency of the grouping for 2026, is expected to host the summit of BRICS leaders later this year.
PM Modi has spoken to leaders of Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iran — all BRICS members — in the last two weeks. Jaishankar has also spoken to his counterparts in these countries, as well as in Russia.
The BRICS has emerged as an influential grouping as it brings together 11 major emerging economies of the world, representing around 49.5% of the global population, around 40% of the global GDP and around 26% of the global trade.
