Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where India must navigate deep geopolitical divisions among the 11 member nations. The summit brings together leaders including China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin, alongside representatives from Iran, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, all of whom are currently embroiled in regional conflicts. India aims to secure a consensus declaration while managing the complex task of maintaining its strategic partnerships with the West without appearing to endorse an anti-Western agenda.
The summit occurs under the shadow of potential scrutiny from US President Donald Trump, who has previously expressed skepticism toward the bloc and threatened tariffs against members aligning with anti-American policies. To mitigate these tensions, India has clarified that BRICS is not seeking to replace the US dollar, focusing instead on settling bilateral trade in national currencies. New Delhi is currently engaged in back-channel negotiations with Russia and Egypt to bridge the gaps between Iran and Gulf nations to ensure a successful joint statement.
Despite the challenges, officials and experts remain optimistic about India's diplomatic capacity to foster agreement. Having previously navigated the G20 summit during the Ukraine war, India is leveraging its role as a bridge between global power centers to avoid taking sides. The primary objective for the Indian presidency is to ensure the summit concludes with a unified declaration that reflects the interests of the Global South without alienating its Western allies.