China’s nudge, a U.S. permission, an Iranian rapprochement — India’s balancing act on an economic thread

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India faces a difficult diplomatic balancing act as escalating tensions involving Iran threaten its oil supplies and test New Delhi’s traditional neutral foreign policy.

The crisis also comes as China pushes for stronger cooperation within BRICS, the bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday urged closer coordination within the group. “We must step up to the plate, and support each other’s BRICS presidency over the next two years, so as to make BRICS cooperation more substantive and bring new hope to the Global South,” Yi said in Beijing during a press conference.

India has not responded to that statement yet.