India to host Foreign Minister-level meetings of BRICS and Quad in May

India to host Foreign Minister-level meetings of BRICS and Quad in May

• India will host Foreign Ministers’ meetings of both BRICS and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) in May 2026 amid escalating West Asia tensions and shifting global geopolitics.The BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting will mark the first direct interaction between Iran and the UAE since the escalation of conflict following the February 28, 2026, U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, highlighting rising tensions within the grouping.The meeting is particularly significant as Iran, UAE, and Saudi Arabia—inducted during the 2023 Johannesburg Summit of BRICS—are now directly involved in the ongoing West Asian conflict.The BRICS Summit is scheduled from September 7–11, 2026, with leaders expected to participate during September 9–11, indicating India’s continued central role as chair.The Quad Leaders’ Summit remains uncertain, largely dependent on the schedule of U.S. President Donald Trump, especially in view of the upcoming U.S. mid-term elections.

About BRICS

• ¨  The term “BRIC” (Brazil, Russia, India, China) was first coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill in 2001.
•     The BRIC was formally established in 2009.
•    The first official BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) summit was held in Russia’s Yekaterinburg in 2009, and South Africa joined the group in 2010.
•   At the 2023 BRICS summit in South Africa, BRICS announced the admission of 6 countries, namely Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Argentina.
•     Saudi Arabia has yet to convey its decision to BRICS about formal acceptance of its joining while Argentina (under its new President) announced not to join the organization.
•          Indonesia joined BRICS as a full member on January 6, 2025.
•          Due to this expansion, the grouping is often referred to as BRICS+.
•     Current Members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, United Ara
•      Emirates, and Indonesia.

About the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue)

• ¨     The Quad is an informal security grouping of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, first formed in 2007, became inactive in 2008, and revived in 2017.
•    It aims to promote a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific and is often viewed as a response to China’s growing regional influence.
•     The grouping originated from cooperation during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and evolved into a strategic dialogue through initiatives like the Malabar Exercise.

•    Today, the Quad functions as a flexible “minilateral” platform with no formal structure, cooperating on security, climate change, technology, and other global challenges.