By Sarafina Christopher
New Delhi, (India) India says it is working to bridge the differences among members of BRICS and promote unity as the expanded bloc prepares for its leaders’ summit in New Delhi.
Mr Randhir Jaiswal, Additional Secretary and spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, stated this at a dinner for journalists and content creators ahead of the summit.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)reports that BRICS is an international organisation currently comprising ten countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.
India will host the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit from Sept. 12 to Sept. 13, amid efforts by the grouping to consolidate its expanded membership.
Jaiswal said India considered all BRICS members its partners and would continue to work toward strengthening cooperation within the grouping.
“India is friends with all BRICS member countries. As friends, it is our intention to bring all our partners together,” he said.
He said negotiations on the summit’s joint declaration were ongoing, adding that the outcome would reflect India’s efforts to build consensus among members.
“The joint statement is being negotiated and there you will see how India brings everybody together,” he said.
Jaiswal said discussions were taking place collectively among BRICS members but declined to disclose the countries involved in specific disagreements.
India’s 2026 BRICS chairmanship has focused on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability, with emphasis on development priorities and strengthening the voice of the Global South.
However, the bloc’s expanded membership brings together countries with diverse geopolitical and economic interests, posing challenges to consensus building on sensitive issues.
Members have differing positions on regional security, economic priorities and bilateral disputes, including tensions involving Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
India and China also continue to manage strategic differences in spite of the recent efforts to stabilise relations following tensions along their disputed border.
Egypt and Ethiopia have similarly maintained longstanding differences over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the use of Nile waters.
Against this backdrop, efforts to deepen economic cooperation, trade, investment and other forms of collaboration remain central to the BRICS agenda.
India’s ability to secure agreement on the summit’s joint declaration is therefore expected to be a key measure of its success in maintaining cohesion within the expanded bloc.(NAN)