Is BRICS bloc divided over US-Israel attacks on Iran?

"When the 12-day war between Israel and Iran broke out in June last year, the bloc, which Brazil then chaired, was quick to state that US-Israeli joint attacks on Iran were a violation of international law. However, since the chairmanship of BRICS shifted to India in December 2025, New Delhi's own interests appear to be overriding the alliance's objectives, critics say, as India signals closer ties with Israel and the US."

"The 11-member BRICS grouping was formed as an economic alliance in 2009 and is widely regarded as a Global South alternative to the exclusive Group of Seven (G7) alliance of industrialised economies. In recent years, the organisation's mandate has broadened to include security issues, with members conducting joint military drills most recently hosted by South Africa in January this year, when India opted out."

BRICS, a 11-member alliance formed in 2009 as a Global South economic alternative to the G7, has adopted a notably cautious stance since India assumed chairmanship in December 2025. The bloc's silence on the recent US-Israel conflict with Iran contrasts sharply with its previous swift condemnation of similar Israeli-American military actions in June. Analysts attribute this shift to India's strategic realignment toward closer relationships with Israel and the United States, which appears to override collective BRICS objectives. Originally founded by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS expanded in 2024 to include Indonesia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The organization has evolved beyond its economic mandate to address security matters, conducting joint military exercises, though India notably abstained from recent drills.

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