Congress Questions Centre On Advancing BRICS Summit Amid West Asia War

The Indian National Congress criticised the Central Government for not advancing the timeline of the upcoming BRICS+ Summit, scheduled to be held in New Delhi later this year under India's presidency, to address the escalating conflict in West Asia. Congress General Secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh questioned the government's inaction, taking a sharp swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's self-proclaimed "Vishwaguru" (world guru) image by asking why India is not leveraging its leadership role in the bloc for a coordinated diplomatic response.

Ramesh highlighted that the 18th annual BRICS+ Summit, involving members such as Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the UAE, presents an ideal platform to initiate discussions on the crisis and its global implications, including energy supply disruptions and economic fallout. He argued that phone calls and limited outreach have proven insufficient, emphasizing that summits could yield more concrete steps toward de-escalation. Ramesh further alleged that the reluctance stems from a desire not to antagonise US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing the government of diminishing India's BRICS presidency in an effort to appease key Western allies.

The criticism comes amid ongoing volatility in West Asia, where the US-Iran conflict—now in its fourth week—has intensified with threats to critical infrastructure and shipping routes like the Strait of Hormuz. BRICS has so far struggled to forge a unified position, as acknowledged by India's Ministry of External Affairs earlier in March, due to differing views and direct involvement of some members (notably Iran on one side, and Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE facing retaliatory actions). India, as current chair, has been facilitating consultations through the Sherpa channel, including a virtual meeting on March 12, but no joint statement has emerged.

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This opposition attack builds on earlier Congress remarks questioning the government's silence and failure to issue a collective BRICS response, portraying it as a missed opportunity for India to assert greater global influence. Ramesh reiterated that no country remains immune to the crisis's effects if it persists, urging proactive multilateral engagement over what he described as passive diplomacy. The remarks reflect broader political debates in India over balancing strategic ties with the West, Israel, and key BRICS partners amid the regional turmoil.

The BRICS+ grouping, expanded in recent years to include more Global South voices, has positioned itself as a counterweight to Western-dominated institutions, but internal divergences—exacerbated by the West Asia war—have limited its ability to act cohesively. As India prepares to host the summit, the episode underscores the challenges of leading a diverse bloc during heightened geopolitical tensions, with analysts noting that any advancement of the meeting would require broad consensus among members already navigating complex alliances.

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