“As a host, India has to bring all parties together, herculean task for diplomacy”: Expert ahead of BRICS 2026
Cooperation areas
Source: The Tribune | Original Published At: 2026-03-31 20:50:17 UTC
Key Points
- India is set to assume the BRICS Chairmanship in 2026, with its position on West Asia conflicts under close observation.
- Expert Prof. Srikanth Kondapalli highlights the complexity of India maintaining neutrality given conflicts between BRICS members Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
- India's non-alignment stance makes taking sides in regional disputes within the bloc problematic.
- The situation is compared to India's G20 presidency, where consensus was reached without explicitly naming parties in the Ukraine conflict.
- BRICS expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, with Indonesia joining in 2025.
- Escalating tensions in West Asia involving US-Israel military actions and Iranian responses form the backdrop for the diplomatic challenge.