Ahmad Adil
14 May 2026•Update: 14 May 2026
There is a “growing expectation” that BRICS will play a “constructive and stabilizing role,” India said Thursday as New Delhi hosted top diplomats of the emerging economies bloc amid the continuing US-Israeli war with Iran, a fellow member.
“We meet at a time of considerable flux in international relations,” India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said in his initial remarks to counterparts from the 11-member bloc.
Noting that “ongoing conflicts, economic uncertainties, and challenges in trade, technology, and climate” are shaping the “global landscape,”Jaishankar said, “there is a growing expectation”, particularly from “emerging markets and developing countries” that BRICS will play a “constructive and stabilizing role.”
He also said peace and security issues remain “central to the global order.”
“Recent conflicts only underline the importance of dialogue and diplomacy. There is also a deeply shared interest in strengthening cooperation against terrorism,” said Jaishankar.
During the two-day meeting, Jaishankar is hosting his counterparts from the 11-member bloc, which began in 2009-2010 with Brazil,Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In later years a host of other nations joined, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia,Indonesia, and Iran.
Who is attending?
BRICS foreign ministers and heads of delegation from member and partner countries are taking part in the meeting, said officials.
The meeting will see the diplomats “exchange views on global and regional issues of mutual interest,” they added.
With India serving as the bloc’s chair, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is not attending the meeting as Beijing is currently hosting US President Donald Trump for a summit with President Xi Jinping.
The meeting in New Delhi comes amid the US-Israeli war with Iran, which started on Feb. 28 but is currently under a ceasefire.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is attending the meeting.
The BRICS top diplomats will also meet jointly with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Friday, the foreign ministers will also hold meetings, after which a joint statement is expected.
The bloc aims to create alternative financial mechanisms, curb dollar dependency, and increase Global South representation in international institutions, challenging Western-led governance structures.
India’s 2026 BRICS chair is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
Together, BRICS countries represent over 40% of the global population and over 32% of the global GDP.