West Asia on boil, sherpas try to bridge divide within BRICS, Pg3

Key Highlights:

• BRICS Sherpas are working to finalize a joint declaration for the New Delhi summit on September 12-13 amidst the escalating conflict in West Asia involving exchanges of strikes between the US and Iran.
• A key point of discord for the declaration is the formulation regarding the West Asia war, especially with new members Iran, UAE, and Saudi Arabia participating.
• The BRICS group expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, alongside original members Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
• India, as the host, is actively mediating to bridge the diplomatic gap between the UAE and Iran to achieve a consensus-based Delhi Declaration.
• The summit agenda includes sessions on 'Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism' and 'Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'.
• India's chairmanship theme is 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', focusing on four pillars.

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Detailed Insights:

• The conflict in West Asia has intensified, with the article noting its start on February 28 with reported attacks by the US and Israel on Iran, leading to Iranian targeting of US bases.
• This conflict has impacted global energy prices and the critical Strait of Hormuz, affecting economies worldwide.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are confirmed attendees, along with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
• India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with President Putin and President Pezeshkian during the summit.
• A previous BRICS Foreign Ministers' meeting in May failed to produce a joint statement due to differing views among members on the West Asia situation.
• The New Delhi summit will feature a 'Bharat Innovates exhibition' and discussions on pressing global issues like food security, climate change, and energy security.
• The four pillars of India's chairmanship theme are Resilience (health, agriculture, supply chains), Innovation (startups, Digital Public Infrastructure), Cooperation (multilateralism, global governance reforms), and Sustainability (clean energy, climate action).
• Expected outcomes from the summit include initiatives on smart grids, energy storage, urban infrastructure, and an MSME cooperation portal.
• Last year, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam became BRICS partner countries.

Key Concepts Involved:

• BRICS: An intergovernmental organization comprising 10 member states, known for representing major emerging economies.
• Sherpas: Personal representatives of the heads of state or government of member countries, responsible for preparing international summits.
• Multilateralism: The principle of cooperation among multiple countries in pursuit of common goals, often through international organizations.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Open and interoperable digital systems that facilitate the delivery of essential public and private services.
• Strait of Hormuz: A narrow, strategically important waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, crucial for global oil shipments.