A warm moment between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi has drawn attention to India’s balancing diplomacy amid growing global divisions.
A BRICS member has been under attack for months – and has subsequently wielded attacks of its own against fellow members.
Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia are raising questions over the credibility and effectiveness of the Mecca Pact, under which an attack on one member is to be treated as an attack on all.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has highlighted the growing economic weight of BRICS while taking a swipe at the Western-led Group of Seven, saying BRICS members now account for more than 40 percent of global gross domestic product, compared with 29 percent for the G7.
The 18th BRICS Summit formally opened on Saturday (September 12) at the Bharat Mandapam convention centre in New Delhi, bringing together leaders and senior representatives from the expanded 11-member bloc for two days of talks on global governance, trade and security under India's 2026 chairmanship.
Qatar is negotiating long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) purchase deals with US suppliers as the war in Iran disrupts its gas exports and threatens its supply security, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.