BRICS critics red-faced as India helps Iran, UAE talk; China ties turn positive, Russia rock-solid

At a time of conflict in Ukraine, Gaza and West Asia, India’s BRICS summit brought together key leaders and representatives from Russia, China, Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia and other Global South countries. In this Point Blank discussion, HT Executive Editor Shishir Gupta assesses the summit’s diplomatic significance, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s outreach to Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, the India–China boundary question, prospects for dialogue on ongoing wars, critical-mineral cooperation and artificial intelligence.