BRICS Summit Convenes in New Delhi as Global Trade Tensions and Middle East Conflict Test Bloc Unity

Leaders from China, Russia, and Iran have gathered in New Delhi for the 11-nation BRICS summit this weekend. The high-stakes meeting unfolds against a backdrop of global trade turbulence sparked by US President Donald Trump’s administration, alongside the ongoing US and Israel’s war with Iran, which is now in its seventh month and has severely impacted energy supplies.

This ongoing conflict presents a critical test for the cohesion of the bloc. While Tehran is pushing for a formal condemnation of Washington, the group also includes the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, both of which have been targets of Iranian attacks. As member states navigate these divisions, discussions will center on whether they can forge a unified stance on the war and successfully expand the influence of the Global South to rebalance the global economy.

Presenter Mohammed Jamjoom leads the discussion with expert guests Manish Chand, CEO of the Centre for Global India Insights; David Monyae, Associate Professor of international relations at the University of Johannesburg; and Mohammad Eslami, an Iran affairs analyst and former editor-in-chief of Khorasan Diplomatic Magazine.