Brics summit 2026 Delhi: Iran war reshapes ties but exposes divides

This weekend, some of the most powerful people in the world gathered in Delhi around a vast circular table. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that together, the leaders next to him should increasingly become "rule-shapers", not "rule-takers". Among those listening were members of the Brics group, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The weekend also provided a platform for countries to reassess their relationships in light of the Iran war. But agreeing on what a new global order should look like and achieving clear, tangible outcomes was a much harder task, and that tension ran through this weekend's summit.

Source: BBC India/World September 13, 2026 11:23 UTC