India Hosts BRICS Working Group Meetings as Iran FM Set to Attend Amid West Asia Crisis
Primary region BRICS
Tags Diplomacy · Trade · Energy
Regions BRICS · Asia · Middle East
India is hosting a series of BRICS meetings in Gandhinagar from May 14-22, including working group meetings on economic and trade issues (May 14-15) and senior officials, law ministers, and secretaries meetings (May 19-22). Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to attend the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting, which will focus heavily on the West Asia crisis. India and Iran are set to discuss safe passage for 40-50 Indian-flagged ships trapped west of the Strait of Hormuz. Russia's Sergey Lavrov will also attend, but China's Wang Yi is likely to skip due to Trump-Xi summit preparations. The BRICS SAI Summit in Bengaluru concluded with the adoption of the Bengaluru Declaration on urban mobility.
Strategic interpretation
India's use of the BRICS platform to address the Strait of Hormuz crisis demonstrates New Delhi's pragmatic approach to multilateral diplomacy. The meetings provide Iran a venue for engagement with major powers outside Western-led frameworks. However, divisions within BRICS over the Iran conflict — with China and Russia opposing Western military action while India seeks practical solutions for its energy security — may prevent a unified statement.