BRICS diplomacy: Pezeshkian, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince meet as India pushes dialogue

India’s diplomatic balancing act takes centre stage as Iran and UAE leaders meet on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi

PGurus Newsdesk

September 12, 2026

Pezeshkian and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled met in Delhi as India pushes dialogue and BRICS unity amid West Asia tensions

Iran-UAE leaders meet in Delhi as India seeks BRICS unity amid West Asia crisis

India’s diplomatic balancing act came into focus on Saturday as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

The meeting assumes significance amid heightened tensions in West Asia and differences between Tehran and Abu Dhabi. Both Iran and the UAE are members of the expanded BRICS grouping, making their interaction in New Delhi particularly significant as India seeks to build consensus within the bloc.

The meeting also comes against the backdrop of India’s wider diplomatic engagement with countries on opposing sides of the West Asian crisis. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held bilateral discussions with President Pezeshkian and separately met Sheikh Khaled ahead of the BRICS deliberations.

India’s role as BRICS chair has placed New Delhi at the centre of efforts to bridge differences among member states. The bloc faced a major diplomatic challenge in reaching consensus on a joint declaration because of disagreements surrounding the West Asia conflict, particularly between Iran and the UAE.

India’s diplomatic balancing act

New Delhi maintains strategic relationships with Iran, the UAE, Israel, Russia and the United States, allowing it to engage with competing regional and global interests. This broad diplomatic outreach has strengthened India’s position as a potential bridge-builder amid the current geopolitical tensions.

The Pezeshkian-Khaled meeting therefore carries significance beyond the BRICS summit itself. Their interaction provides an opportunity for dialogue between Tehran and Abu Dhabi at a time when regional tensions have placed additional pressure on the expanded grouping.

The UAE has been represented at the New Delhi summit by Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled, while Iran is represented by President Pezeshkian.

BRICS seeks unity amid West Asia crisis

The diplomatic engagement comes as BRICS attempts to demonstrate unity despite differences among its members. Negotiators reached agreement on a joint declaration after intensive discussions, marking an important test of the grouping’s ability to accommodate divergent positions on major geopolitical issues.

Prime Minister Modi, while opening the summit, called for BRICS to move beyond consensus and translate its growing influence into tangible outcomes. He also argued that the Global South should have a greater role in shaping international decision-making.

With Iran and the UAE sitting at the same BRICS table, New Delhi’s ability to facilitate dialogue between the two countries adds another dimension to India’s leadership of the grouping.

India-UAE ties also gain prominence

Separately, Modi’s meeting with Sheikh Khaled focused on advancing the India-UAE strategic partnership across areas including defence, artificial intelligence, space, critical minerals, energy, food security and connectivity.

Modi described a strong India-UAE partnership as a symbol of stability, prosperity and peace at a time of uncertainty in West Asia.

The simultaneous engagement with Tehran and Abu Dhabi underlines India’s effort to maintain open channels with all sides while using its BRICS chairmanship to promote dialogue, cooperation and stability.

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