BRICS Summit Opens in New Delhi as India Balances Global Ties

The BRICS summit opened on Saturday in New Delhi, with India seeking to use the gathering to position itself as a non-aligned global power. Around the table sat Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Владимир Путин, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, against the backdrop of two major conflicts complicating efforts to present a unified front: the conflict involving Israel, the US, and Iran, and the war in Ukraine.

For Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the summit is a delicate balancing act. Just last February, Modi visited Israel and stated in the Кнессет that "India stands with Israel, with determination and full faith," while strongly condemning the October 7 attacks by ХАМАС and emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism.

Balancing Ties with Iran and the West

Modi's pro-Israel stance did not prevent him from meeting with Iranian President Pezeshkian for the second time in less than two weeks. According to the Indian Prime Minister's Office, the two discussed Middle Eastern developments, with Modi reiterating that "all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy." At the same time, he emphasized the freedom of maritime navigation and the safety of sailors.

This approach illustrates India's broader foreign policy. India maintains close security, technological, and political ties with Israel while refusing to sever connections with Iran, an important energy source and a fellow BRICS member. Pezeshkian stated after the meeting that India and Iran could "revive relations together" and expand cooperation in trade, economy, and technology.

The Shadow of Regional Conflicts and China

Another central focus of the summit is the arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping on his first visit to India in seven years. Relations between the two Asian giants hit a low following the deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in 2020, which resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers. Although a military disengagement agreement in 2024 brought a gradual thaw, the border remains a point of heavy suspicion.

BRICS is not meant to be an anti-Western bloc, but rather a framework designed to increase the power of developing economies.

Modi emphasized at the opening of the summit that BRICS is not designed to be a counterweight to the West, but a framework to amplify the voice of emerging economies. This remains the core message from New Delhi: India refuses to choose sides, striving instead to build a diplomatic space where it can engage with all global players.