Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi is expected to visit India to attend the BRICS Summit to be held in New Delhi, news agency ANI reported. India holds the presidency for BRICS this year and will host the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting on May 14-15. Araghchi's trip shows the widening cooperation between India and Iran under the expanded BRICS format. Iran joined the grouping in 2024 alongside Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Since the US-Iran confrontation began on February 28, Araghchi has held multiple conversations with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, with both sides reviewing the unfolding situation in West Asia. Araghchi last visited India in May 2025 for the India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting -- his first visit after taking office in August 2024.
Sergey Lavrov to represent Russia
Reports citing Iranian sources earlier suggested that Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi was also likely to join the BRICS deliberations this week. Meanwhile, Sergey Lavrov will represent Russia in the Foreign Ministers’ meeting, with the Russian Foreign Ministry stating on X that he would be in India on May 14 and 15.
India officially assumed the BRICS Chairmanship on January 1 this year, 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.
BRICS Summit 2026
Meanwhile, the meeting of BRICS Deputy Foreign Ministers and Special Envoys for the Middle East and North Africa (BRICS MENA) was held on April 23-24 in the national capital, where views were exchanged on the current regional developments. BRICS brings together eleven major emerging markets and developing countries of the world: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. It serves as a useful platform for consultation and cooperation on contemporary issues having global as well as regional significance, and issues of global political and economic governance.
India, which holds the 2026 chairship of BRICS Chairship is guided by the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability", reflecting a people-centric and humanity-first approach articulated by the Prime Minister at the 17th BRICS Summit held in 2025 at Rio de Janeiro.
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