New Delhi, May 15 -- India on Friday released a Chair's statement at the end of the annual BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi instead of issuing a joint declaration, citing differences among member nations over the situation in the Middle East.

The Chair's statement mentioned the ministers strongly denounced all forms of terrorism, describing such acts as criminal and unjustifiable regardless of the motives, timing, location, or perpetrators. It specifically condemned the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed and several others were injured.

"There were differing views among some members as regard to the situation in the West Asia/Middle East region. BRICS members expressed their respecti...