India welcomed several high-level foreign dignitaries who arrived here in the national capital ahead of the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. This underscores New Delhi’s growing diplomatic engagement with partner nations across Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.
The leaders who arrived here on Wednesday evening include Foreign Minister of Iran Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow of Thailand, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla of Cuba and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang of Vietnam.
Other leaders who arrived here in the national capital were Foreign Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Seri Utama Mohamad bin Haji Hasan, and the UAE’s Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar.
The Indian capital is set to become the focus of international diplomacy as foreign ministers of the emerging economies of the BRICS bloc will gather in New Delhi on May 14 and 15 for a high-stakes meeting. This gathering comes during a period of intense global friction, with divisions over the West Asia conflict remaining to be bridged, presenting a formidable challenge to collective diplomacy.
As the world observes, the meeting is expected to test the grouping’s ability to maintain consensus on a key issue while navigating the growing geopolitical fault lines threatening international stability. The two-day foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi will be chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
The summit serves as a vital forum for ministers and senior representatives from BRICS member and partner countries to align their strategic interests. Highlighting the importance India attaches to this alliance, the diplomatic engagement will extend beyond the conference room, as the visiting delegations will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their stay.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, discussions during the meeting will focus on global and regional developments, providing a rare opportunity for these diverse powers to exchange views on security challenges, economic cooperation, and multilateral reform. This collective brainstorming aims to synchronise their approach to an increasingly complex world order.
The second day of the summit is designed to pivot toward a long-term vision, with BRICS members and partner countries participating in a session titled “BRICS@20: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” This forward-looking agenda will be followed by discussions on reforming global governance institutions and the multilateral system, as the bloc seeks to redefine the architecture of the modern world.
This summit comes at a significant moment for the bloc, which has undergone a dramatic transformation in its scope and influence. The alliance has expanded rapidly in recent years to include countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE alongside its original members, cementing its status as a cornerstone of the Global South.
By hosting this expanded cohort, New Delhi aims to foster a unified voice capable of addressing systemic inequities. The goal is to steer the conversation toward a more equitable global structure while carefully managing the complex internal dynamics of this rapidly growing geopolitical entity.
