"PM Modi undermining BRICS presidency to please Trump": Jairam Ramesh questions 'silence' on US actions

New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI): Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Monday shared the 2025 BRICS last year's statement on US attacks on Iran, and said India has neither "shown inclination nor courage" to put out a similar statement now.
The 2025 BRICS Summit was held under the presidency of Brazil. With India is hosting BRICS this year, Jairam has alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "undermining the importance of BRICS presidency to please US President Donald Trump and Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu".

"India is holding the BRICS+ presidency in 2026. But so far, it has shown neither the inclination nor the courage to issue any collective statement on the air strikes and targeted killings carried out by the United States-Israel on Iran, nor on the attacks subsequently carried out by Iran on non-military sites in GCC countries, nor on the stunning action by the US Navy in the Indian Ocean close to Sri Lanka and India," Jairam Ramesh said.

"In the eagerness to keep President Trump pleased and to maintain close ties with Benjamin Netanyahu, PM Modi is undermining the importance of the BRICS+ presidency and its prestige," he added.
Meanwhile, India, as the current BRICS Chair, has been "facilitating discussions" among member states through the Sherpa channel on the West Asia Conflict, according to sources.

The sources added that the last virtual BRICS Sherpa meeting was held on March 12 to deliberate on the situation.
"Some members of the BRICS are directly involved in the current situation in the West Asia region, which has impacted forging a consensus on a common BRICS position on the ongoing conflict. As Chair of BRICS, India has been facilitating discussions among members through the Sherpa channel. The last virtual BRICS Sherpa meeting was held on 12 March," the sources said.
Sources further said that the Indian leadership has also been "engaging" with leaders of BRICS member countries in the region as part of ongoing diplomatic consultations."India will continue to engage," the sources added.
The conflict in the region escalated following the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel on February 28, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterway and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability. (ANI)