India enthusiastically welcomed Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia joining the BRICS group as their representatives participated in a crucial meeting hosted by Russia. Senior diplomat Dammu Ravi led the Indian delegation at the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Nizhny Novgorod. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, expressed India’s full support for the new membership. This meeting marked the first ministerial gathering following the expansion of BRICS in 2023, with Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE becoming full-fledged members alongside Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Although typically the External Affairs Minister would attend such meetings, S Jaishankar’s recent reappointment meant that he could not make it to Russia in time. Russia assumed the chairmanship of BRICS at the start of 2024 and has planned over 250 events throughout the year, with a BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024 as a key highlight.
