What's happened
BRICS leaders are gathering in New Delhi as Modi hosts Putin, Xi, Pezeshkian and other members. The summit faces divisions over Ukraine, Iran, and global economic shifts, with discussions on currency use and global governance reforms.
What's behind the headline?
Brief
BRICS is grappling with internal fault lines as its expanded membership brings competing agendas to the fore. The push to reduce reliance on the dollar intersects with geopolitical alignments involving Iran, Russia, and China. India’s leadership faces the challenge of maintaining unity while securing a joint statement on key conflicts.
What’s driving the tensions
- Iran’s role in the Middle East tests BRICS unity as Tehran faces sanctions and US pressure.
- Ukraine and Western alignments complicate consensus among members with varying ties to Moscow, Beijing, and Washington.
- Currency diversification in trade could reshape global finance, but members differ on tempo and mechanism.
Outlook
If the summit yields a joint statement, it could signal a more cohesive BRICS stance; if not, divisions may deepen, limiting the bloc’s influence on global governance.
How we got here
The BRICS bloc expanded to 11 members, aiming to give developing nations more influence in global institutions. Despite a shared goal of diversifying away from Western-dominated structures, member states hold competing interests, especially on Iran, Ukraine, and economic policy. New Delhi hopes to balance Moscow’s and Tehran’s ties withWashington and Europe, while leveraging broader cooperation.
Our analysis
France 24 reports that Putin has arrived in New Delhi amid a security buildup; Independent notes India’s balancing act between Moscow/Tehran and Washington/Europe; Both outlets highlight tensions over Iran, Ukraine, and currency diversification. The BRICS summit is framed as a test of unity as regional powers push competing agendas.
Go deeper
- Will BRICS manage to issue a joint statement on Iran and Ukraine?
- How will currency diversification evolve in BRICS trade?
- What does a diplomatic thaw with China mean for India’s broader strategy?
More on these topics
-
United States - Country in North America
The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
-
Masoud Pezeshkian - Member of Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran
Masoud Pezeshkian is an Iranian heart surgeon and reformist politician of Azerbaijani and Kurdish descent who is currently President-elect of Iran.
-
Middle East - Region
The Middle East is a transcontinental region that generally includes Western Asia, all of Egypt, Iran, and Turkey. Soviet Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are generally excluded.
-
Vladimir Putin - Russian President
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008.
-
New Delhi - Capital of India
New Delhi is a district located in NCT Delhi. New Delhi serves as the capital of India and the seat of all three branches of the Government of India. The foundation stone of New Delhi was laid by Emperor George V during the Delhi Durbar of 1911. It was de
-
Ukraine - Country in Europe
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.
-
Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran) - Country in the Middle East
Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan a
-
Russia - Country
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
-
People's Republic of China - Country in East Asia
China, officially the People's Republic of China, is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population of around 1.4 billion in 2019.
-
BRICS - Association of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates
BRICS is the acronym coined to associate five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The BRICS members are known for their significant influence on regional affairs.
-
Xi Jinping - General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party
Xi Jinping is a Chinese politician serving as the general secretary of the Communist Party of China, president of the People's Republic of China, and chairman of the Central Military Commission.
-
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Country in the Middle East
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a country in Western Asia constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula.
-
Brazil - Country in South America
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At 8.5 million square kilometers and with over 211 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area and the sixth most
-
Narendra Modi - Prime Minister of India
Narendra Damodardas Modi is an Indian politician serving as the 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. He was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014, and is the Member of Parliament for Varanasi.
-
India - Country in South Asia
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the second-most populous country, the seventh-largest country by land area, and the most populous democracy in the world.