Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met several foreign ministers attending the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, underlining India’s growing role in global diplomacy and multilateral cooperation. Among the leaders who met the Prime Minister were Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira. The meetings were held on the sidelines of the high-level BRICS gathering taking place in the national capital.

The Prime Minister also joined the visiting ministers and delegates for the official BRICS family photograph. Representatives from member countries as well as partner nations participating in the diplomatic engagement were present for the photo session. The event reflected the importance of the meeting and the expanding influence of the BRICS grouping on global affairs.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar welcomed the foreign ministers and delegates at Bharat Mandapam, where the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is being held. The meeting marked a major diplomatic engagement under India’s BRICS chairmanship and brought together representatives from several countries to discuss important international and regional issues.

Jaishankar first received Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong, who represented China at the meeting. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi did not attend the gathering as he is currently in Beijing during US President Donald Trump’s visit to China. The External Affairs Minister also welcomed Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono, South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola and Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos Hessebon at the venue.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was also welcomed by Jaishankar ahead of the meeting. Minister of State in the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, also arrived for the diplomatic discussions and was received by the External Affairs Minister. Jaishankar additionally held a meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono in New Delhi before the official sessions began.

The BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is part of India’s continuing engagement with the multilateral grouping, which focuses on cooperation among emerging economies. The discussions during the meeting are expected to cover several important global and regional matters, including economic cooperation, trade, development challenges and reforms in multilateral institutions. The gathering also provides an opportunity for member countries to strengthen coordination on international issues and expand partnerships within the bloc.

New Delhi has become a major centre for diplomatic activity from May 14 to May 15 as India hosts the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting under its 2026 chairship. The event is being seen as an important step in India’s efforts to play a stronger leadership role within the grouping, especially after the recent expansion of BRICS. The alliance has gained wider global attention in recent years as more countries have shown interest in joining or partnering with the bloc.

India officially assumed the BRICS chairmanship on January 1 this year after taking over from Brazil. This is the fourth time India is chairing the group. The country had earlier hosted BRICS summits in 2012, 2016 and 2021. With the current presidency, India is expected to focus on deeper cooperation among member nations and greater coordination on issues affecting the Global South.

The foreign ministers’ gathering in New Delhi is expected to lay the groundwork for future BRICS engagements and summit-level discussions. The meeting also highlights India’s diplomatic outreach and its efforts to bring together major emerging economies at a time when global politics and economic relations are witnessing significant shifts.