Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to visit India for the BRICS summit amid a global energy crisis fuelled by conflict in the Middle East. The development has been confirmed by Iran’s embassy in India.
Araghchi will participate in BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting, which will be held on May 14 and 15. He will then hold discussions with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar as well as other ministers on the sidelines of the event.
“Seyed Abbas@araghchi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, will travel to New Delhi to participate in the Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of BRICS member countries,” Iran’s embassy posted on X.
“During this visit, in addition to attending the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which will be held on Thursday and Friday, 14–15 May, under India’s chairmanship and with a focus on regional stability, multilateral cooperation, and economic resilience, the Foreign Minister will hold discussions and exchange views with H.E. Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India, as well as with other ministers and officials participating in the meeting. The meeting serves as a prelude to the 18th BRICS Summit, which is scheduled to be held in New Delhi under India’s presidency in September this year,” it added.
What’s on agenda?
Araghchi’s visit to India assumes significance amid global energy market disruptions triggered by escalating tensions between the US and Iran in the Middle East. During the talks, India is expected to urge Tehran to move towards an early resolution that could help stabilise crude oil supplies and reduce pressure on energy-importing nations.
The issue has gained added importance as Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently appealed to citizens to use fuel judiciously in order to help reduce the burden on India’s foreign exchange reserves.
New Delhi is also likely to raise concerns over possible disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route through which a significant share of the world’s oil supplies is transported. Any instability in the region could have major implications for global energy security and shipping costs.
India may further discuss the future of Chabahar Port, a strategically important project in which it has made substantial investments. Addressing the media on Tuesday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the matter was under discussion with both Iran and the US.
ALSO READ: Iran tells US to 'drop one-sided approach' after Trump calls its peace proposal 'unacceptable'
