NEW DELHI — India will host the BRICS Leaders’ Summit on Sept. 12–13 as the U.S.-led war on Iran splits the expanded bloc, with member Iran and the UAE on opposing sides, Channel News Asia reported.
The UAE suspended all trade and financial dealings with Iran in August after Iranian missile strikes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said differences between Abu Dhabi and Tehran have a “negative impact” on drafting a joint declaration, though he hoped leaders could find acceptable language. Foreign ministers failed to issue a joint statement after a May meeting in New Delhi for the same reason.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will make his first visit to India in seven years. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Egypt’s Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres are also due. The UAE is expected to send Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Attention will focus on possible Modi–Xi talks—their third since ties began improving after a Himalayan border agreement—and scheduled Modi–Putin meetings on trade and energy. An SCO summit earlier this month produced language on the Iran conflict acceptable to members with differing positions, raising hopes BRICS can bridge its divide.
Sources: CNA
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