India’s efforts to steer BRICS through a turbulent global climate are facing early strain as renewed US pressure on Iran complicates New Delhi’s diplomatic and economic calculus…reports Asian Lite News
India’s relations with Iran have come under renewed pressure following a fresh warning from US President Donald Trump that “any country” maintaining trade ties with Tehran would face a 25 per cent tariff if it sought to do business with the United States. The statement has sharpened the dilemma for New Delhi, which has sought to balance strategic autonomy with its expanding economic engagement with Washington, while also preserving historic ties with Iran and its commitments within the BRICS grouping.
Government sources said India is preparing to further scale down trade with Iran during the current financial year, attributing the move to “external economic factors”. The reassessment comes at a sensitive moment. India is set to host the BRICS summit later this year, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Iran. Only last weekend, preparations were under way in New Delhi for a possible visit by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to attend the summit.
The hardening of US policy towards Iran has also cast doubt over a proposed visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Syed Abbas Araghchi to New Delhi later this month. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, outlining India’s vision for BRICS 2026 on Tuesday, said that as chair, India would emphasise the grouping’s ability to absorb “global shocks”. His remarks were widely seen as an attempt to underline BRICS’ relevance amid growing geopolitical and economic turbulence.
India’s position on Iran is being closely watched because the Islamic Republic is now a full member of BRICS, a grouping in which India has played a central role since its inception. Jaishankar made his comments at an event marking the launch of the BRICS summit logo, attended by several envoys from member states, including the Russian ambassador Denis Alipov and the Iranian ambassador Mohammad Fathali. The presence of Iranian diplomats underlined Tehran’s importance within the expanded grouping, even as it faces escalating pressure from Washington.
Later in the evening, Jaishankar said he had held a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, noting that their discussion covered “trade, critical minerals, nuclear cooperation, defence and energy”. The timing of the call was seen by officials as significant, reflecting India’s efforts to keep channels open with Washington while navigating the fallout from US actions affecting third countries.
At both bilateral and multilateral levels, 2026 was expected to be a year of renewed engagement between India and Iran. New Delhi had been preparing to broaden its presence at Iran’s Chabahar port, a project seen as vital for India’s connectivity ambitions with Central Asia and Russia. The port is also a key pillar of India’s evolving engagement with Afghanistan under the Taliban administration, with which Iran maintains close ties. Any further tightening of sanctions or political instability in Iran risks complicating these plans.
Iran joined BRICS as a full member on January 1, 2024, following the grouping’s expansion at the 2023 summit in South Africa, which also brought in Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Officials in New Delhi said that as a BRICS member, Iran’s president would not face legal hurdles in travelling to India for the summit. However, they acknowledged that Iran’s escalating confrontation with the Trump administration has pushed the country into a period of acute uncertainty, at least in the short term.
One official said that ongoing public protests in Iran, which President Trump has publicly supported, pose a serious challenge to the authorities in Tehran. The official added that India’s embassy remains in close contact with Indian citizens in Iran, amid reports that local authorities have blacked out internet connectivity in several areas. The welfare and safety of Indian nationals in the country has become a growing concern for New Delhi.
These issues were expected to feature prominently during Araghchi’s proposed visit, which would have been his second trip to India in less than a year. The Iranian foreign minister last visited New Delhi in May 2025, shortly after India launched Operation Sindoor against terror targets in Pakistani territory. During that visit, discussions focused on regional security and bilateral cooperation.
The latest visit was expected to include a broader review of ties, with Iran traditionally backing India on several international issues, including Kashmir, at United Nations platforms. While diplomatic sources had earlier confirmed plans for Araghchi’s visit, an official announcement from the Indian side has yet to be made.
