As BRICS meets in Delhi, is India getting squeezed between Iran and Israel?
BRICS Foreign Ministers Meet: India’s diplomatic challenge is becoming more complicated because it is now trying to balance multiple power centres at the same time.
by Zee Media Bureau · Zee NewsNew Delhi: At a time when India is facing diplomatic pressure from multiple sides, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday evening for the meeting of BRICS foreign ministers. Within hours of his arrival, the office of Israeli prime minister revealed that Benjamin Netanyahu had made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the Israeli and American strikes against Iran earlier this year.
Araghchi reacted to the disclosure, saying that any “collusion” with Israel was “unforgivable”. The timing has added another layer to an already delicate situation for India, especially as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the UAE on Friday (May 15).
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At the same time, US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday (May 13) for his first China visit of his second term. Meanwhile, New Delhi is hosting the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting from Thursday (May 14) to Friday.
Trump has repeatedly targeted BRICS in his public statements and warnings. At the same time, the absence of China’s foreign minister from the Delhi meeting has drawn attention, especially because it has led to speculation over whether Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the BRICS summit that India is scheduled to host in September under its 2026 presidency.
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BRICS originally included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The bloc expanded during the summit held in Kazan, Russia, in 2024, when Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Indonesia joined as new members.
India’s balancing act gets tougher
India’s diplomatic challenge is becoming more complicated because it is now trying to balance multiple power centres at the same time.
In 2023, when the country hosted the G20 summit in New Delhi, Xi skipped the event. In May this year, New Delhi will also host the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to participate.
Russia and China see the Quad as a grouping aimed against them, while Washington views BRICS as a counterweight to US influence. India is active in both platforms at once.
The challenge has become more complicated because India presently holds the BRICS presidency at a time when one of its members, Iran, has faced military attacks from the United States and Israel.
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Tehran is expected to push for a stronger BRICS statement condemning the attacks. India has faced criticism over its response to the conflict. Prime Minister Modi had visited Tel Aviv shortly before the Israeli and American strikes on Iran. Questions were also raised after India’s delayed reaction following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Over the last decade and a half, Israel has emerged as one of India’s major defence partners. That has made the diplomatic equation more difficult for New Delhi, which also shares long-standing ties with Tehran.
Except India and the UAE, most BRICS members have openly criticised Israel’s actions. That means the majority opinion inside the grouping leans towards Iran. Diplomats believe this pressure may become stronger when the BRICS summit takes place.
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Since the Israeli and US airstrikes on Iran, BRICS has struggled to take a unified stand on the war. The attacks killed members of Iran’s top leadership and also increased fears of an energy crisis across many countries.
Questions over India’s foreign policy
One of the biggest reasons behind the deadlock is that BRICS members have strong ties with different sides of the conflict.
Iran joined BRICS in 2024. After the strikes, it responded by launching drones and missiles towards the UAE and Saudi Arabia that host US military bases. The UAE is also a BRICS member, while Saudi Arabia is still considering membership after receiving an invitation.
Russia and China are expected to support Iran diplomatically. It is making India’s position even more delicate.
Former Indian Ambassador to China and Israel Shivshankar Menon told Nikkei Asia earlier this month that BRICS has become more relevant than before.
“Even if Russia and China tried projecting it as an anti-Western platform, many of the new members have close ties with the United States. The group brings together countries rich in population, resources and capital. This gives it strong economic potential,” he said.
He also argued that international institutions such as the United Nations are unable to function effectively when member states are in direct conflict with each other.
“In this period of disorder and confusion, cooperation should happen among countries that not only have the willingness but also the capability to act on specific issues,” he said.
According to Menon, different world problems now require different coalitions. “Maritime security in the Indo-Pacific can be handled by groups such as the Quad, while cyber security or energy security may need entirely different partnerships and platforms,” he said.
Iran pressure, Gulf ties and oil worries
Many analysts believe BRICS may see its relevance questioned if it fails to respond collectively to one of the biggest geopolitical crises in the world right now.
They say India is under pressure because it has good relations with the United States and Israel while also depending on energy routes connected to Iran through the Strait of Hormuz. The country also shares strong economic ties with Gulf nations, where around 1 crore Indians live and work.
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In March, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged PM Modi to ensure that BRICS plays an “independent role” in stopping aggression against Iran and protecting regional peace and stability, according to the Iranian embassy in India.
The government’s position during the Israel-Iran conflict has also come under criticism in India.
Speaking to Nikkei Asia, Menon said, “If Hormuz closes and crude oil prices rise, energy and fertiliser costs will surge. That will directly affect governance and the economy.”
He also said the Indian government’s alleged silence on the issue appeared “unusual” compared to New Delhi’s traditional diplomatic style, though he added that avoiding the role of mediator was a practical decision because India cannot be fully neutral when millions of Indians live in the Gulf region.
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Menon rejected suggestions that India’s “strategic autonomy” policy had failed. “People are confusing autonomy with neutrality. Autonomy means having the freedom to choose the most suitable option according to national interest at any given time,” he said.
Scrutiny over PM Modi’s Israel visit before strikes
Opposition parties in India have questioned why Modi was in Tel Aviv just two days before the US-Israel strikes on Iran.
Srinath Raghavan, a visiting senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore, told Bloomberg that the move was “reckless” and could carry long-term costs.
“India’s policy in the Middle East was based on balance, and it had managed that balance for years. But now, the country is being seen as standing fully with the aggressive side in this war,” he said.