Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hosted foreign ministers from the BRICS nations, who were in New Delhi to attend a high-stakes two-day conclave of the influential bloc.
The visiting dignitaries, who made a joint call on the prime minister, included Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Iran's Abbas Araghchi, Brazil's Mauro Vieira, Indonesia's Sugiono, and South Africa's Ronald Lamola.
India, as the chair of the BRICS, is hosting the two-day conclave from Thursday ahead of the annual summit of the grouping in September.
The meet assumed greater significance as the influential bloc grapples with the economic consequences of the West Asia crisis, particularly the severe energy supply disruptions, and Washington's policy on trade and tariffs.
In the inaugural address, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asserted that respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity must anchor international relations, maintaining that "dialogue and diplomacy" offer the only sustainable path to conflict resolution.
Jaishankar said India stands ready to contribute constructively towards de-escalation efforts and to support initiatives aimed at restoring stability while noting that "peace cannot be piecemeal" and "it is essential to uphold international law, protect civilians, and avoid targeting public infrastructure."
The external affairs minister also strongly pitched for ensuring safe and unimpeded maritime flows through the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea, and voiced concerns over the "grave humanitarian implications" of the war on Gaza.
BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, with Indonesia joining in 2025.
It has emerged as an influential grouping as it brings together 11 major emerging economies of the world, representing around 49.5 per cent of the global population, around 40 per cent of the global GDP and around 26 per cent of the global trade.
(With inputs from PTI)
