- India hosted the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi
- Foreign ministers from BRICS and partner nations attended the meeting
- China was represented by Ambassador Xu Feihong, not Foreign Minister Wang Yi, due to US-China talks
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar welcomed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Thursday as India hosted the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
The gathering carries unusual diplomatic weight this year, with the US-Iran conflict casting a long shadow over the proceedings.
Delhi: EAM S. Jaishankar welcomes Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at Bharat Mandapam for the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting pic.twitter.com/xZtftaIb3e
— IANS (@ians_india) May 14, 2026
Foreign ministers and senior diplomats from BRICS member and partner nations have arrived at Bharat Mandapam for the two-day meeting, which runs from May 14 to 15.
Among those present were Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and several other top diplomats, all of whom gathered for an official group photograph with Jaishankar.
BRICS Foreign Minister meet gets underway in Delhi, EAM Jaishankar meets Lavrov, Araghchi and others
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) May 14, 2026
Read @ANI Story |https://t.co/6pWmWl5XoS#BRICS #Familyphoto #Jaishankar #SergeyLavrov #AbbasAraghchi pic.twitter.com/WRXruP1OjQ
Notably, China was represented not by Foreign Minister Wang Yi — currently in Beijing as US President Donald Trump visits for high-stakes talks with Xi Jinping — but by Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong.
Hosting the leaders, Jaishankar, in his opening remarks, urged BRICS nations to find "practical ways" to better navigate the fallout of global conflicts, economic volatility, and trade disruptions.
India officially assumed the BRICS Chairmanship on January 1, taking over from Brazil. This marks the fourth time India has held the presidency of the influential bloc, having previously hosted summits in 2012, 2016, and 2021.
India's 2026 chairship operates under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," reflecting what New Delhi describes as a "Humanity First" and people-centric approach to multilateralism.
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Araghchi's presence in Delhi is particularly significant. Since hostilities erupted on February 28, the two ministers had already engaged in at least four high-level discussions, with Araghchi advocating for BRICS collaboration to safeguard international order while reaffirming Tehran's "legitimate right of self-defence."
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaiel Baghaei had earlier underlined that Tehran "looks forward to bilateral meetings with other ministers" at the event and described the BRICS gathering as being "of importance to Iran".
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, foreign ministers and heads of delegations will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit. The meeting is expected to play a significant role in shaping the agenda for the BRICS Leaders' Summit scheduled later this year.
With Trump in Beijing seeking Chinese leverage over Tehran and Araghchi in Delhi working BRICS allies simultaneously, New Delhi finds itself at the intersection of two of the most consequential diplomatic tracks of 2026 — underscoring India's carefully cultivated position as a power that talks to everyone.
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