The recent meeting of foreign ministers from the BRICS nations, held in New Delhi on May 14-15, 2026, ended without a joint statement due to significant disagreements over the West Asia conflict. The Indian government reported that the ministers expressed their respective national positions on various issues, including sovereignty, maritime security, and the protection of civilian lives and infrastructure in the region. A notable footnote in the Indian statement mentioned that one member had reservations about specific sections discussing Gaza and security in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The BRICS group, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia, faces increasing challenges in maintaining unity, particularly highlighted by the ongoing conflict involving Iran and the UAE. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged the BRICS nations to condemn the actions of the U.S. and Israel, labeling them as unlawful aggression, and called for resistance against the politicization of international institutions. This situation underscores the complexities within BRICS as it seeks to expand its influence on global matters.