India's BRICS Declaration Embraces Iran, Rebukes Israel — SkimNews
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- India hosted the BRICS summit in New Delhi, where the final declaration opposed unilateral sanctions, protectionist trade measures, and arbitrary tariffs without naming the United States.
- The declaration endorsed Iran's main diplomatic concerns without condemning its drone and missile attacks on neighboring Gulf states or mentioning Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, whose Red Sea attacks the piece notes have held sea trade hostage.
- Israel was explicitly named in the declaration, told to withdraw forces from Lebanese territory, with the text rejecting unilateral measures altering occupied Jerusalem's status and referencing South Africa's ICJ proceedings against Israel.
- The declaration voiced deep concern over "deliberate attacks" on peaceful nuclear facilities under UN atomic energy safeguards — which the Associated Press characterized as indirect criticism of US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
- Modi visited Israel in February 2026, received a newly created Knesset medal, and called Israel the "fatherland" of Indian-origin Jews; within 48 hours, Israel and the US launched aerial attacks on Iran.
- India did not condemn the killing of more than 150 schoolgirls or the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Modi did not attend Khamenei's funeral, yet Iran maintained diplomatic silence.
- The article frames the reversal as either an Iranian military victory against superior US-Israeli firepower or India realizing it had backed the wrong horse — concluding the answer can be both.
Why it matters: India's BRICS declaration breaks from its recent Western tilt under Modi — naming Israel to demand Lebanese withdrawal and Gaza humanitarian access while ignoring Iran's attacks on Gulf states. The piece attributes the shift to Iran's military success against US-Israeli strikes, forcing India to recalibrate ties it had publicly severed after Modi's February 2026 Israel visit and the subsequent killing of 150+ schoolgirls and Khamenei.
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