India is hosting a two-dayBRICSforeign ministers meeting (May 14-15) today in New Delhi, where the escalating crisis in West Asia and its impact on the global energy supply chain are expected to dominate deliberations. Ahead of the meeting, theMinistry of External Affairssaid, "BRICS foreign ministers and heads of delegation from member and partner countries will participate in the meeting. They will also call on the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi." It said the foreign ministers will exchange views on "global and regional issues of mutual interest".

The BRICS member and partner countries will participate in a session themed "BRICS@20: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability" on May 15.

It will be followed by a session on the "Reforms of Global Governance and Multilateral System", according to the MEA.

While Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's has already arrived in New Delhi, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will skip the meeting to remain in Beijing for US President Donald Trump's three-day state visit, which coincides with the BRICS gathering.

Chinese Ambassador to India Xi Feihong will attend the meeting on Wang's behalf, Beijing had announced. The BRICS foreign ministers will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the first day of the conclave.

India, as the chair of the BRICS, is hosting the conclave of the foreign ministers ahead of the annual summit of the grouping in September.

It will be interesting to see if the foreign ministerial conclave manages to produce a consensus statement on the conflict in West Asia.

Sharp differences among the member states over the US-Israel war on Iran stalled India's efforts to build a consensus position on the conflict during a meeting of the grouping's deputy foreign ministers and special envoys on Middle East and North America last month.

No consensus statement on the conflict could be reached largely due to differences between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran. The two neighbouring countries have sparred in recent weeks over Iran's alleged attacks on energy infrastructure in the UAE.

The West Asia conflict and its impact on energy supplies are expected to figure prominently at the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting, the sources cited above said.

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