India's NSA Doval Meets BRICS Counterparts — India-China Ties Take Centre Stage

June 26, 2026 5 min read

India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval sat down with counterparts from the BRICS grouping on Wednesday, with West Asia and the fraught India-China relationship dominating the agenda. The consultations in Johannesburg brought together senior security officials from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa at a time of heightened regional volatility. China was represented by Wang Yi, while Iran's Nezamipour also attended the talks.

India-China Tensions Reshape BRICS Agenda

Doval's meeting with Wang Yi marked another step in the slow normalisation of diplomatic channels between the two powers. The two sides have clashed repeatedly along their disputed Himalayan border since 2020, when soldiers from both nations died in hand-to-hand combat. Trade relations between Beijing and New Delhi have remained deeply strained despite bilateral efforts to rebuild confidence. The Johannesburg talks provided a rare opportunity for direct communication between the two security establishments.

The discussions touched on broader Indo-Pacific stability, according to a statement from India's Ministry of External Affairs. Neither side released specific details of what was negotiated. The talks came weeks after India declined to sign a joint declaration at a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit that referenced China's Belt and Road Initiative, a project New Delhi opposes. That snub underscored how bilateral tensions continue to colour multilateral diplomacy.

West Asia Escalation Worries BRICS Members

Regional tensions across the Middle East featured prominently in the Johannesburg consultations. BRICS members have divergent relationships with the various parties involved in ongoing conflicts, making unified messaging difficult. India maintains strong strategic ties with Israel while Russia and China have cultivated closer relationships with Iran. South Africa has taken a strongly pro-Palestinian stance that frequently puts it at odds with Western governments.

The conflict has already disrupted global energy markets, a particular concern for import-dependent economies across the developing world. South Africa imports roughly 60 percent of its crude oil, making it vulnerable to price shocks originating from West Asia. Any escalation that closes shipping lanes or reduces output would directly affect petrol prices in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Investors with exposure to South African refining companies and transport logistics firms have reason to monitor the situation closely.

Economic Stakes for South African Markets

The Johannesburg meeting itself signals BRICS' growing ambition to shape multilateral security discussions outside Western-dominated institutions. South African businesses have expressed interest in deeper trade ties with both India and China, the grouping's largest economies. Bilateral trade between South Africa and India exceeded $10 billion last year, while China remains South Africa's largest single trading partner. Geopolitical instability in West Asia threatens to disrupt supply chains that South African manufacturers depend upon for inputs ranging from petrochemicals to industrial components.

Currency markets have already shown sensitivity to Middle East developments, with the rand occasionally weakening when oil prices spike on supply concerns. South Africa's central bank has limited tools to offset exogenous commodity shocks, making diplomatic channels that might ease regional tensions valuable from an economic stability standpoint. The BRICS consultation forum offers a rare space where major developing economies can exchange views without the formal constraints of official negotiations.

Doval's Iran Meeting Signals Regional Calculations

The Indian delegation also held separate talks with Iran's security official Nezamipour. New Delhi has invested significantly in the Chabahar port project, a strategic corridor that bypasses Pakistan to give India access to Central Asian markets. That project has become more complex as Iran faces increasing international pressure over its nuclear programme. Any resolution or escalation of those tensions would reshape India's strategic calculus in the region.

Indian companies have substantial interests in Afghan markets that could theoretically be accessed through the Chabahar route, making port security a priority for New Delhi's regional planners. The Johannesburg meeting gave Doval an opportunity to hear Iran's perspective directly while also discussing broader security cooperation. How those bilateral ties evolve will affect India's ability to maintain supply chain access in a volatile neighbourhood.

BRICS Credibility Tested on Geopolitical Issues

The Johannesburg consultations highlighted both the potential and the limitations of the BRICS format on sensitive security matters. Member states share broad concerns about Western sanctions regimes and the perceived dominance of old colonial powers in global governance. Yet their specific national interests often pull in different directions, making consensus statements rare on contested topics.

For South African businesses, the BRICS grouping offers commercial opportunities alongside diplomatic engagement. Trade volumes between member states have grown steadily, with particular momentum in agricultural exports and manufactured goods. The security dialogue in Johannesburg reflects an attempt to deepen institutional bonds beyond pure commerce, though how much that translates into practical cooperation remains unclear.

What Comes Next

The next major BRICS gathering is scheduled for later this year, when member states will gather for their annual leaders' summit. Preparatory meetings in the coming months will determine whether the security consultations produce any substantive agreements or remain a forum for exchanging views. South African companies with interests in either West Asian supply chains or broader emerging market trade should watch whether the discussions lead to any joint statements on regional stability.

India and China are expected to continue their slow diplomatic normalisation through separate bilateral channels in the coming months. The next round of corps commander-level talks along the disputed border is anticipated within six weeks. For investors in South Africa, the underlying question is whether these multilateral conversations can contribute to reducing the geopolitical risks that threaten commodity prices and supply chain reliability.