CALL FOR DEVELOPING WORLD TO STICK TOGETHER
The statement said that BRICS ministers “recalled that the Gaza Strip is an inseparable part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory”. They also flagged the importance of unifying the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the Palestinian Authority, and reaffirmed the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and an independent State of Palestine.
One member had reservations on some aspects of the section on Gaza, the statement said, without naming anyone.
India’s statement, as the bloc’s chair for 2026, said member countries called for the developing world to stick together to tackle global challenges.
“They highlighted the importance of the Global South as a driver of positive change,” it added.
The region faces international challenges from growing geopolitical tension to economic downturns, technology shifts, protectionist measures and migration pressures, it said.
BRICS brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran and the UAE.
IMPACT OF MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT ON INDIA
As the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer, India has been hit hard by Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas travel in normal times.
Iranian attacks have been linked to the deaths of at least three Indian personnel in the waterway, and an India-flagged ship was sunk this week as Araqchi flew to Delhi.
During a short visit to the UAE on Friday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attacks on the Gulf nation.
“The way the UAE was targeted is unacceptable in any form,” he said. “In these difficult circumstances, the restraint and courage you demonstrated are highly commendable.”
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