Differences at BRICS Meet in Delhi Linked to Ongoing West Asia Conflict, Says MEA

India Fails to Reach Consensus on West Asia Conflict at BRICS Meeting

India recently hosted a meeting of BRICS Deputy Foreign Ministers and Special Envoys on the Middle East and North Africa (BRICS MENA) in New Delhi, which failed to reach a consensus due to differences among member states. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the ongoing conflict in West Asia was the primary cause of the disagreement.

The current conflict in West Asia began on February 28, when the US-Israeli combine launched military strikes on Iran, and Tehran retaliated by attacking Gulf states hosting US bases. The conflict has been a major point of contention among BRICS member states, and India's efforts to build a consensus position were stalled as a result.

At an inter-ministerial briefing on the West Asia situation, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified the Indian position on the Palestine issue. He stated that the reports claiming India had "diluted" its long-standing position on Palestine were speculative and inaccurate. Jaiswal urged reporters to refer to the joint statement released on the occasion of the India Arab League Foreign Ministers meeting earlier this year.

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The joint statement, which was endorsed by all present, including Palestine, reaffirmed India's commitment to the Gaza Peace plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2803. Jaiswal noted that many BRICS members had attended the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit in October, which paved the way for ending the Israeli military offensive in Gaza and culminated in a ceasefire agreement.

Despite the failure to reach a consensus, the BRICS member states expressed "deep concern" about the situation in the Middle East and discussed the Palestine issue and the Gaza situation during the meeting. A "chair's statement" was released at the end of the deliberations, but a joint statement could not be agreed upon. India is the current chair of the BRICS grouping, and the meeting was part of its efforts to build a consensus on the West Asia conflict.