India, which holds the BRICS presidency this year, is hosting the two-day meeting involving founding members Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa alongside newer entrants including Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

The summit comes as the war involving Iran and escalating instability around the Strait of Hormuz continue to disrupt shipping lanes and fuel markets, increasing pressure on energy-importing economies across Asia.

Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the discussions would focus on “global and regional issues of mutual interest,” while diplomats indicated energy security, trade flows and geopolitical coordination would be central themes.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New Delhi late Wednesday, according to Iran’s embassy, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar shortly after arriving in the Indian capital.

Jaishankar said discussions with Lavrov covered “trade and investment, energy and connectivity” as well as broader multilateral issues, adding that political coordination among BRICS members had become increasingly important in a “volatile global environment.”The conflict in Iran has heightened concerns in India, which depends heavily on Middle Eastern crude oil and fertilizer imports.

Disruptions to Gulf shipping routes have contributed to volatility in oil and gas prices, complicating New Delhi’s economic outlook.Originally established in 2009 as a coalition of major emerging economies seeking greater influence in institutions traditionally dominated by Western powers, BRICS has expanded rapidly in recent years as member states sought to strengthen political and economic coordination across the Global South.

The bloc now includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, though officials have not confirmed whether all member states are represented at the meeting.Despite efforts to project unity, internal divisions remain pronounced.

Differences over the Middle East conflict, relations with Western powers and regional rivalries have complicated attempts to present a unified diplomatic position.Indian officials declined to confirm whether the ministers would issue a joint communique at the end of the summit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet participating foreign ministers ahead of a broader BRICS leaders’ summit scheduled later this year.

The two-day meeting comes as the expanded BRICS grouping, now comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, faces growing diplomatic strain over the Gulf conflict and its economic fallout.

Iran has urged India, which holds the BRICS chairmanship for 2026, to use the forum to forge a consensus condemning military actions by the United States and Israel, according to officials familiar with preparations for the meeting.

The sharpest divisions have emerged between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, which are aligned on opposing sides of the conflict that erupted following military operations launched by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in New Delhi late on Wednesday for the talks, which run through May 15. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also expected to attend, while it remained unclear who would represent the UAE delegation.

Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said earlier this year that forging consensus within BRICS had become difficult because several member states were directly involved in the conflict.

An Indian government official told Reuters New Delhi remained hopeful that discussions among ministers could still result in a joint communique despite continuing disagreements.

“Glad that the foreign ministers from all the BRICS countries, except China who is otherwise tied up, are coming,” former Indian diplomat Manjeev Singh Puri said. “This is a good sign on efforts to build a BRICS coalition around a matter of interest to emerging economies and the global south.”

China will instead be represented by its ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, as Foreign Minister Wang Yi is not expected to attend due to President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing this week.

The war has intensified pressure on BRICS economies through rising energy costs and market volatility, prompting several member states, including India, to introduce emergency measures aimed at cushioning consumers and stabilizing domestic markets.

China has maintained a publicly neutral position throughout the conflict while balancing close ties with Iran alongside expanding economic and diplomatic relations with Sunni-majority Gulf states.

The 10-day visit will take Leo nearly 18,000 km across 11 cities in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, involving 18 flights in what Vatican officials described as a demanding itinerary.

Cardinal Michael Czerny, a senior Vatican official, said the trip was intended “to help turn the world’s attention to Africa,” emphasizing the pope’s priority to ensure the continent is not overlooked amid global crises.

Leo, the first U.S.-born pope and successor to Pope Francis, has made limited foreign visits since his election last May, including trips to Turkey and Lebanon late last year, and Monaco in March.

Africa accounts for more than 20% of the world’s Catholics, according to Vatican data, and is the fastest-growing region for the Church. In several of the countries on Leo’s itinerary, Catholics make up a majority of the population, while Algeria remains predominantly Muslim with a small Catholic minority.

During the visit, Leo is expected to promote interfaith dialogue, including a visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers, and travel to Annaba to see the ancient ruins of Hippo, associated with St. Augustine of Hippo, a central figure for the Augustinian order to which the pope belongs.

In Cameroon, Leo is scheduled to hold a peace meeting in Bamenda, a region affected by conflict between government forces and separatist groups since 2017.

The pope will also visit Bata, where he is expected to pray at the site of a 2021 explosion at a military barracks that killed more than 100 people.

Church officials and analysts say the tour reflects the Vatican’s strategic and pastoral focus on Africa, highlighting both the continent’s challenges and its role as a center of growth and vitality within global Catholicism.