Leaders of the BRICS coalition convened in New Delhi over the weekend, underscoring their role as a bloc of emerging economies positioning themselves as an alternative to Western-dominated global institutions. The gathering, hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, brought together representatives from an expanded group that now includes traditional members Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, alongside new entrants such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia.
The summit takes place amid heightened volatility in the Middle East, marked by intensified conflict and disruptions to energy supply routes, which have contributed to rising global oil prices. Unlike the United States, which has pursued a more confrontational approach toward Iran, BRICS maintains engagement with Iran at the leadership level. Iranian Parliament Speaker Masoud Pezeshkian attended the meeting and used the platform to challenge Western dominance, criticizing the United States for imposing economic sanctions and urging members to develop alternative financial mechanisms to mitigate Western influence.
While the inclusion of Iran provides BRICS with leverage absent from the U.S.-led diplomatic sphere, internal divisions within the bloc complicate efforts to present a united stance. Tensions persist, notably between Iran and the United Arab Emirates—both members—owing to ongoing hostilities following Iranian missile and drone attacks on the UAE since February. These frictions delayed the issuance of a joint statement during the May foreign ministers’ meeting, and while the leaders managed to agree on a broad declaration at the summit, it notably refrained from assigning blame in the Middle East conflict. Instead, the statement called for maximum restraint and acknowledged members’ differing national positions.
Indian Prime Minister Modi, seeking to balance competing interests, urged Iran to ensure "freedom of navigation and commerce," referencing concerns over Iranian activity near critical maritime chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, which are vital to India’s energy imports. This reflects India’s more nuanced approach, which departs from the outright opposition to Western powers expressed by Russia and Iran and emphasizes strategic autonomy and nonalignment.
Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian both used the summit to press back against Western sanctions and influence, with Pezeshkian specifically questioning the legitimacy of U.S. dominance on the global stage. China’s President Xi Jinping arrived on Saturday, though it remains unconfirmed whether he held bilateral talks with Pezeshkian. Beijing, while an ally of Tehran, also maintains substantial economic ties with Gulf states affected by Iranian strikes, and is navigating a complex balancing act ahead of an upcoming meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden.
China and India engaged in talks focused on resolving longstanding border disputes, with Chinese state media noting Xi’s calls for peace and stability and emphasizing partnership rather than adversarial relations.
For South Africa, represented by President Cyril Ramaphosa, BRICS membership offers both opportunities and challenges. Pretoria has faced criticism, particularly from the United States, over the participation of Iran in naval exercises off the South African coast earlier this year, reflecting the diplomatic tightrope South Africa must walk given the bloc’s Western-skeptic orientation.
Economically, BRICS continues to explore reducing dependency on the U.S. dollar, an ambition that resonates strongly with Russia and Iran amid sanctions but remains more cautious for countries like India, which benefits from the dollar’s dominance yet seeks alternatives to balance China’s rising financial influence. India is actively promoting enhanced banking cooperation within BRICS to facilitate direct payments in national currencies, exemplified by ongoing oil trade conducted in rupees and rubles.
Despite its aspirations, analysts describe BRICS as an underperforming coalition hampered by divergent national interests and internal conflicts, limiting its ability to act decisively as a counterbalance to Western-led economic and geopolitical power structures.