BRICS: EAM slams unilateral sanctions, says pressure can’t replace diplomacy

NEW DELHI: The BRICS foreign ministers' meeting began Thursday with external affairs minister S Jaishankar denouncing “increasing resort’ to unilateral coercive measures and sanctions inconsistent with international law and the UN Charter. Delivering India's national statement, Jaishankar said such "unjustifiable" measures, which disproportionately affect developing countries, cannot substitute dialogue and that pressure cannot replace diplomacy.

India has in the past signed on to similar BRICS statements against unilateral measures and sanctions aimed primarily at the West and its Western allies, choosing to mostly follow UN-authorised actions. However, Jaishankar’s remarks seemed designed also to reinforce India’s strategic autonomy and its credentials for Global South stewardship as he called for an equitable and inclusive international order, drawing attention to concerns over supply chain disruptions and food and energy insecurity.

The minister underlined India's concerns over energy supply disruptions caused by the Hormuz strait blockade, cross-border terrorism and long overdue UNSC reform, seeking BRICS solidarity when the world faced unprecedented geopolitical and economic uncertainty, along with challenges that were testing the resilience of multilateral systems.

While singling out West Asia for special attention, the minister said continuing tensions, risks to maritime traffic, and disruptions to energy infrastructure highlighted the fragility of the situation. “Safe and unimpeded maritime flows through international waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea, remain vital for global economic well-being,” he said, speaking at a meeting on global and regional issues.

The minister addressed the BRICS’ concerns over the Gaza conflict and its grave humanitarian implications, underscoring the need for a sustained ceasefire, humanitarian access, and a credible pathway towards a durable and peaceful resolution. He also reiterated India’s support for a two-state solution for Palestine and the importance of upholding international law.

Jaishankar, however, said that it is important to address similar situations and challenges in countries like Sudan, Libya, Yemen, Lebanon and Syria. “Taken together, they underline a clear reality: stability cannot be selective, and peace cannot be piecemeal. It is essential to uphold international law, protect civilians, and avoid targeting public infrastructure,” said the minister, adding that India stood ready to contribute constructively to de-escalation efforts and to support initiatives aimed at restoring stability.

Jaishankar spoke about the threat from terrorism saying there can be no justification for the menace, and that cross-border terrorism violated the basic principles of international relations. “Zero tolerance must remain an uncompromising and universal norm," he said. While reiterating India’s commitment to the UN Charter, Jaishankar said that respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity must remain the foundation of international relations, and dialogue and diplomacy the only sustainable means of resolving conflicts.

Jaishankar expectedly gave vent to India’s frustration over the delay in UN reforms, as he said that while challenges were mounting, the multilateral system was weakening. “The state of the United Nations, which is at its core, is particularly worrisome. With each passing day, the case for reformed multilateralism only gets stronger. This includes the reform of the UN Security Council in both the permanent and non-permanent categories,” he said, adding that continued delay came at a high cost.

The main focus of his remarks remained the Global South, as he sought efforts for a more stable, equitable, and inclusive international order, saying that the message from these times remained clear: cooperation is essential, dialogue is necessary, and reform is overdue.

He said that conflicts, climate events and Covid had weakened growth prospects and deepened vulnerabilities. “Many of these issues have far-reaching consequences beyond their immediate region. Their impact is particularly severe for emerging markets and developing countries, through pressures on energy, food and fertilizer security, supply chain disruptions, inflationary trends and constraints on growth,” said the minister, adding that for many developing countries, the priority is not only growth, but managing vulnerabilities under increasingly difficult global conditions.