New Delhi: In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, BRICS countries have reached a consensus on a joint statement after intensive negotiations that went on till the early hours of Saturday, government sources said.
The negotiations saw differences on several contentious issues, but India led sustained consultations, which went on till 4 am, to bridge competing positions and build consensus among members.
The breakthrough assumes particular significance given that Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are all part of the same forum, despite deep differences and competing positions on several regional and geopolitical issues, the sources said.
India leads consensus-building effort
The breakthrough assumes significance given the differing positions of Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, all of which are members of the BRICS grouping.
PTI reported that the ongoing conflicts and heightened tensions in West Asia had made consensus particularly challenging, with India leading consultations to ensure the differences did not derail the BRICS process.
Reports also highlighted India’s efforts to bridge competing positions and said the consensus came despite sharply divergent geopolitical positions among member countries.
Reuters reported that foreign policy experts had viewed the bloc’s ability to find acceptable language on the Middle East crisis as a key test, particularly given the differences between Abu Dhabi and Tehran.
India is hosting the BRICS summit from September 12 to 13. The summit is being attended by leaders of 11 member countries and 10 partner countries, along with representatives of international organisations.
India is hosting the BRICS summit from September 12 to 13. The summit is being attended by leaders of 11 member countries and 10 partner countries, along with representatives of international organisations.
Among the leaders attending are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
