BRICS leaders unanimously adopted a joint declaration on the first day of their two-day summit in New Delhi, calling for restraint in the Middle East without condemning the US-Israeli strikes or Iran’s attacks on Gulf countries.
The 11-member group also criticised unilateral tariffs and sanctions without naming the United States, reflecting efforts to preserve consensus despite opposing positions among members, including Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Why the Middle East language stayed general
The declaration expressed “deep concern” over escalating tensions and called for “maximum restraint”, but it did not name the US, Israel, Iran or Gulf states. That wording allowed the group to issue a common position while avoiding direct responsibility for the conflict. Read the context: US strikes on Iran trigger rise in oil prices and fall in global stocks amid Hormuz tensions.
Iran and the UAE are both BRICS members but stand on opposite sides of the conflict. China’s President Xi Jinping separately called for a political settlement and a permanent, comprehensive ceasefire. The declaration also raised concern about attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities protected by International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. Related coverage: Iran Accuses Ukraine of Launching Fatal Attack on Caspian Sea Commercial Ship.
Key points
- The declaration called for maximum restraint and warned against actions that could further escalate tensions in the Middle East.
- It used more explicit language on Palestine, including support for a sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders.
- It criticised unilateral trade measures and sanctions not authorised by the UN Security Council.
- The group reaffirmed support for a more multipolar international order and greater representation for Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Ukraine and the limits of consensus
On the war in Ukraine, BRICS called for disputes to be resolved through dialogue, consultation and diplomacy, without naming Ukraine. It also opposed unilateral sanctions that are not authorised by the UN Security Council, a position significant for Russia, which has faced extensive Western sanctions since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Chinese President Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered to help with peace talks on Ukraine, and that Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed their readiness, according to TASS.
Where the declaration was more direct
The bloc expressed firm opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians and to attempts to change the geography or demography of the occupied Palestinian territory. It called for an end to Israel’s war in Gaza, unhindered humanitarian access, support for UNRWA and full UN membership for Palestine.
The declaration also backed a two-state solution and the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with occupied East Jerusalem as its capital. On trade, leaders objected to unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures, while urging cooperation to protect supply chains, energy flows and maritime security.
What BRICS is trying to become
Founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, BRICS later added South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. The group represents nearly half of the world’s population and about 40 percent of global GDP, according to the factual account of the bloc’s composition.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said BRICS had reached a “coming of age” moment and argued that the Global South should become a rule-shaper rather than a rule-taker. The declaration reaffirmed the group’s commitment to multilateralism and a multipolar world, while Modi also said BRICS should not be understood simply as an anti-Western project.
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