India Resists Iran Requests for BRICS Condemnation of US-Israel Strikes

The Government of India is resisting pressure from Iran to lead the BRICS bloc in condemning joint military strikes conducted by the United States and Israel. As the rotating chair of the organization, India has sought to maintain strategic autonomy, balancing defense ties with Israel and the US against economic and energy dependencies on Iran and the Gulf region.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have repeatedly urged Indian leadership to activate the bloc to halt military aggressions. These requests intensified as the conflict entered its fourth week following the assassination of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Despite the circulation of at least three draft statements, the bloc has failed to reach a consensus. Disagreements persist because members such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates host US military bases and have been targets of Iranian strikes.

India's position is further complicated by its co-sponsorship of a UN Security Council resolution condemning Iranian attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council countries and its need to secure energy imports through the Strait of Hormuz. While China and Russia may offer tacit support to Tehran, India continues to advocate for restraint and de-escalation through the Sherpa channel rather than taking a side in the conflict.