Foreign ministers from the BRICS nations began a two-day meeting in India on Thursday, with the Middle East conflict and rising fuel concerns expected to dominate discussions.
India, which currently chairs the bloc, is hosting ministers from the expanded BRICS group, including Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are among officials attending the meeting in New Delhi.
India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said discussions would focus on trade, energy, connectivity and global issues amid an increasingly volatile international environment.
The talks come as tensions in the Gulf and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz continue to affect global oil and gas markets.
Founded in 2009, BRICS now includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia and the UAE, with the bloc seeking greater influence in global economic and political affairs.
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