BRICS Summit 2026 updates on Sept.11: PM Modi stresses need to protect navigation, seafarers in talks with Iran's Pezeshkian - The Hindu

**BRICS Summit 2026 – New Delhi, September 11** At the 2026 BRICS summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a bilateral meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Pezeshkian to stress the urgent need to safeguard international navigation routes and protect seafarers from emerging threats. Modi highlighted the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea corridor and the Indian Ocean for global trade, warning that “any disruption to these sea‑lines jeopardises food security and energy supplies for billions.” The remarks came amid a broader push by the Indian government to deepen maritime cooperation with regional partners while maintaining a rules‑based order at sea.

The talks between Modi and Pezeshkian moved beyond rhetoric, focusing on a “win‑win” framework that could extend existing strategic agreements on port development, shipping safety, and joint naval exercises. Both sides expressed optimism that the discussions would feed into a joint BRICS declaration on maritime security slated for the summit’s final communiqué. Parallel to the high‑level dialogue, three prominent Kashmiri religious figures—including the Mirwaiz of Kashmir—visited an exhibition hosted by the Iranian embassy in Delhi, underscoring cultural and people‑to‑people links that India and Iran are keen to showcase despite political sensitivities surrounding the Kashmir dispute.

Analysts note that the convergence of diplomatic, economic and cultural engagements signals a calibrated effort by New Delhi to balance its strategic partnership with Tehran against the backdrop of U.S. sanctions and regional volatility. By anchoring its maritime agenda within the multilateral BRICS platform, India aims to reinforce its role as a stabilising force in the Indo‑Pacific while preserving flexibility in its bilateral ties with Iran. The outcome of the summit could therefore shape not only the future of BRICS cooperation but also the broader architecture of maritime governance in a region fraught with geopolitical tension.