Arab Times reported that the Iran war and energy security topped the agenda as BRICS leaders met this week in the Indian capital. The gathering brings together heads of state from the expanded bloc that now includes Iran as a full member since 2024 along with the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Ethiopia. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping on his first trip to India in seven years as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The summit tests the group’s cohesion amid sharply differing views on the conflict that erupted earlier this year between the United States, Israel and Iran.
The conflict has severely restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage for roughly one quarter of global oil trade, according to an analysis by the Observer Research Foundation. Brent crude futures rose above 100 dollars a barrel in recent days, Reuters reported, creating fresh economic pressures for major importers including India and China. A New York Times assessment found that the war has placed BRICS members on opposing sides, with the UAE having faced Iranian attacks while Tehran seeks to demonstrate it is not isolated despite Western sanctions. Iranian officials have pressed for de-escalation through dialogue at the meetings.
Pezeshkian told the gathering that no country should disrupt trade routes, citing the aggression that has compounded human and material losses while underscoring that economic security cannot be separated from national and regional security. The Iranian leader proposed the creation of a BRICS joint reinsurance company with an initial capital of 10 billion dollars to protect major infrastructure and energy projects, India Today reported from his address. He also urged expanded use of national currencies in intra-bloc trade to reduce reliance on the US dollar while highlighting Iran’s potential role in energy, food and transport supply chains given its reserves and geographic position.
BRICS nations collectively represent about 40 percent of global GDP, nearly half the world’s population and 26 percent of global trade, according to Indian government figures. The bloc adopted an Energy Cooperation Roadmap for 2025-2030 during Brazil’s presidency last year that focuses on security, sustainability and technology sharing, a Global Energy Monitor study noted. Yet the current crisis has exposed gaps in coordinated responses, with the group’s foreign ministers having failed to issue a joint statement when they met in New Delhi in May.
Modi used a bilateral meeting with Pezeshkian to stress the need for freedom of navigation and commerce in the region, a message that indirectly referenced threats to shipping lanes affecting India’s energy imports. The summit also features discussions on broader de-dollarisation efforts and enhanced cooperation in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Leaders from South Africa, Brazil and other members are expected to weigh in on how the bloc can contribute to a managed energy transition even as fossil fuel capacities continue to expand in several new member states.
A report from Al-Monitor indicated that the presence of both Iran and the UAE at the table offers a rare diplomatic channel at a time when Western powers lack direct access to all parties. Capital Economics analyst Shilan Shah described the Iran war as a stern test for BRICS unity given the competing energy interests at play. The meetings conclude on September 13 with expectations for a joint declaration that navigates these tensions without alienating key participants.
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