No mention of Pakistan as Brics condemns Pahalgam attack

KARACHI: In another setback to India, Brics has not named Pakistan in its statement condemning the Pahalgam attack, the joint declaration condemning terrorism broadly but avoiding naming any specific country.

In its final communique, the bloc stated: “We express strong condemnation of any acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomsoever committed. We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, during which 26 people were killed and many more injured.

“We reaffirm our commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorism financing and safe havens. We reiterate that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group and that all those involved in terrorist activities and their support must be held accountable and brought to justice in accordance with relevant national and international law”.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pushed for a “zero tolerance” stance on terrorism and issued a veiled warning to states that offer “direct or indirect support” to terror groups. However, the final Brics declaration refrained from attributing blame for the Pahalgam attack, following a pattern set by other international forums such as the United Nations Security Council, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the Quad -- all of which also declined to name Pakistan.

Per Indian media, former Indian diplomat Manju Seth called the statement “positive” but noted: “something more was required... Pakistan was not named, as you all well know.”The joint statement did, however, reiterate Brics’ commitment to combating the cross-border movement of terrorists and cutting off terrorism financing and safe havens.

Indian opposition leaders were quick to question the utility of Prime Minister Modi’s participation. Congress leader Pawan Khera said: “The President of Russia and China didn’t participate in the Brics summit this year, so I can’t understand its importance this year. PM Modi visited, and he has been participating in such events but, what is he getting in return? I want to ask PM Modi, is he attending such summits and huge events only for social media? What is he getting for the nation in return? The Pahalgam terror attack was a stressful time for the country. Who stood by us?”

In another significant section, the Brics declaration referred to attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities and civilian infrastructure as a “violation of international law and relevant resolutions of the IAEA”, marking a more assertive position compared to the bloc’s June 25 statement, which merely expressed “grave concern over the military strikes” against Iran.

The statement’s strongest language was reserved for Israel, with Brics leaders expressing “grave concern” over Israeli military actions in Gaza. In a departure from recent precedent, India did sign on to the Brics statement regarding Israel’s war on Gaza.

At one point, the statement said: “We recall that the Gaza Strip is an inseparable part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. We underline, in this regard, the importance of unifying the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the Palestinian Authority, and reaffirm the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine”.

Notably, after the SCO Summit in June, India has distanced itself from any criticism regarding Israel.

This year’s summit in Rio de Janeiro saw the participation of several key leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Modi, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. However, notable absences included Chinese President Xi Jinping -- his first time missing a Brics summit since taking office in 2013 -- and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who continues to face an International Criminal Court warrant.India, a founding member of Brics along with Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa, is slated to host the next summit in 2026.