BRICS top diplomats hold fresh talks in New Delhi meeting

India hosts 2-day meetings of top diplomats from 11-member bloc amid US-Israeli war with Iran

Top diplomats from the BRICS bloc held fresh talks Friday on the second day of meetings in New Delhi. The gathering comes amid the US-Israeli war with Iran, which began on Feb. 28 but is currently paused under a fragile ceasefire. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is attending the meeting, while China’s top diplomat Wang Yi is in Beijing for the state visit of US President Donald Trump to China. Xu Feihong, China’s ambassador to India, represented Beijing at the meetings. Following Friday’s discussions, attention has turned to an expected joint statement. During the first day of the meeting, Thursday, foreign ministers and heads of delegation from BRICS countries held talks and also met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. India’s 2026 BRICS chairmanship is being held under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” The bloc seeks to develop alternative financial mechanisms, reduce dependence on the US dollar and increase Global South representation in international institutions, challenging Western-led governance structures. Together, BRICS countries account for more than 40 percent of the global population and more than 32 percent of global GDP.