The Aryavarth Express
New Delhi: Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Monday questioned the Indian government’s response to the escalating West Asia conflict, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of weakening India’s role as the current chair of BRICS.
Ramesh shared the statement issued after the 2025 BRICS Summit, which was held under the presidency of Brazil, and said India has not demonstrated the “inclination or courage” to release a similar collective statement regarding recent developments involving United States, Israel, and Iran.
India is hosting the BRICS+ presidency in 2026, but according to Ramesh, no joint statement has been issued on the reported US–Israel air strikes and targeted killings in Iran, Iran’s retaliatory attacks on non-military sites in Gulf Cooperation Council countries, or the recent US naval activity in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka and India.
“In the eagerness to keep President Donald Trump pleased and maintain close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, PM Modi is undermining the importance and prestige of the BRICS presidency,” Ramesh alleged.
Government sources, however, said India has been facilitating discussions among BRICS member states through the Sherpa diplomatic channel regarding the evolving situation in West Asia. The most recent virtual Sherpa meeting was held on March 12, where member states discussed the conflict.
According to the sources, reaching a consensus has been challenging because some BRICS members are directly involved in the ongoing crisis. As the chair, India is continuing diplomatic consultations and engaging with leaders of BRICS countries in the region.
The regional tensions intensified following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the United States and Israel on February 28. In retaliation, Iran reportedly targeted US and Israeli assets across several Gulf countries and Israel. The developments have disrupted key waterways and affected international energy markets and global economic stability.
