Published: May 14, 2026 8:31 am
Author: RT
The group is expected to play a “constructive and stabilizing role” in the face of uncertainties, New Delhi has said
The BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting kicked off on Thursday, with host country India stressing that the group should work toward “effective and coordinated responses” to geopolitical and economic uncertainty caused by the Middle East conflicts.
The US-Israeli war against Iran and disruptions caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will take center stage in today’s discussions.
“We meet at a time of considerable flux in international relations. Ongoing conflicts, economic uncertainties, and challenges in trade, technology, and climate are shaping the global landscape. There is a growing expectation, particularly from emerging markets and developing countries, that BRICS will play a constructive and stabilizing role,” Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said ahead of a closed-door meeting.
Addressing his BRICS counterparts, Jaishankar stated that the conflict in the Middle East requires particular attention.
“Continuing tensions, risks to maritime traffic, and disruptions to energy infrastructure highlight the fragility of the situation,” he said, while also expressing concern over the situation in the wider region, noting the “humanitarian implications” of the war in Gaza and the “continuing challenges” faced by Lebanon and Syria.
My welcome remarks to #BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, 2026. #BRICSIndia2026 https://t.co/IvtYBkeQZZ
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 14, 2026
Jaishankar stressed that BRICS members should address “the increasing resort to unilateral coercive measures and sanctions,” adding that they “disproportionately affect developing countries.”
“These unjustifiable measures cannot substitute dialogue, nor can pressure replace diplomacy,” he said.
The meeting is being held ahead of the 18th BRICS summit, which India will host in September. The stated goal of the group of major emerging economies is a more just and democratic world order in which the Global South’s demands on the economy, security, and other issues are amplified. The acronym stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates joined the group in 2024; Indonesia joined in 2025.
