India to host meetings for BRICS, Quad foreign ministers

The South Asian country plans to host the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in May.

According to Indian media reports, the BRICS meeting is expected to take place in New Delhi in early May. Notably, this will be the first time that Iranian and Emirati officials will sit at the same table since the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28.

The two Gulf nations have different views on key issues: Iran insists on dominant control over the Strait of Hormuz, while the UAE backs free and open passage for international shipping. Any direct diplomatic engagement between the two countries will be closely watched.

Additionally, diplomatic sources confirmed that the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting is scheduled for the last week of May. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to attend. U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has already posted on social media to confirm Rubio’s visit to India in May.

Hosting both the BRICS and the Quad — two groups with very different strategic orientations — is no small task. BRICS represents the "Global South," while the Quad is a security dialogue focused on countering China in the Indo-Pacific region.

New Delhi is trying to balance the two by maintaining strategic coordination with the United States, Japan, and Australia while also maintaining its voice and relevance within BRICS.

The meetings themselves are not the real story. What's worth watching is whether the Iranian and Emirati foreign ministers will acknowledge each other—or even shake hands at the BRICS meeting.

As for the Quad event, will Rubio push for a stronger Quad alliance against China? Can India maximize its own interests without alienating either side?