Why in the News
India shifted its stance on the United States (US)-Israel war against Iran and on Russia’s war in Ukraine at the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek and BRICS summit in New Delhi. It secured a successful BRICS summit but risks Moscow seeing New Delhi as unreliable.
What role have the SCO and BRICS played for India?
- What it is: India uses the SCO and BRICS to show strategic autonomy, staying welcome in western forums like the Group of Seven (G-7) and non-western ones. It is like keeping seats at two rival tables.
- Big-power platform: The summits let Russia, India and China show solidarity. Russia signals it is not isolated, and China, leading both groupings’ expansion, displays its growing power.
- Past caution on West Asia: India avoided condemning the US or Israel over Iran, and softened multilateral language critical of Washington and Tel Aviv.
- The takeaway: India’s standing in both camps rested on not taking sides, so any visible tilt carries a cost.
What did India endorse at Bishkek and New Delhi?
- Bishkek Declaration: India endorsed a text calling the attacks on Iran violations of international law. The text mourned Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in US-Israeli strikes in February 2026.
- Unnamed but unmistakable: The declaration did not name the US or Israel, yet its meaning was clear. Iran drew far more support at both summits than anticipated.
- Israel and Palestine: India backed sharp criticism of Israel in both declarations and affirmed Palestinian rights and the two-state solution. India had earlier avoided accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
- Appeal to Moscow: The Prime Minister bluntly urged the Russian President, in public, to end the Ukraine war: “endless war” must give way to an “end of war”.
- Silence on Ukraine: Neither declaration mentioned the Ukraine war, so India endorsed texts accommodating Russia’s position without fully embracing it.
Why did New Delhi change course?
- BRICS presidency stakes: India signed on to keep the Russian and Chinese Presidents coming; without them, its BRICS presidency would have failed.
- Post-Sindoor marginalisation: Since Operation Sindoor (2025), India’s attack on Pakistan, India has looked sidelined. Washington chose Islamabad to mediate with Iran, and Gulf states sought defence pacts with Pakistan.
- Counter-signal to Washington: A public, not private, appeal to Moscow reassured the West. India joined the consensus on Iran but leaned westward on Ukraine.
- Talks with China: The Prime Minister met the Chinese President at New Delhi, before China’s G2 summit with the US.
Why is Moscow’s trust eroding?
- Performative diplomacy: Moscow can see this as the Prime Minister’s second use of ‘jumla’ (performative) diplomacy at Russia’s expense.
- Samarkand precedent: In 2022 the Prime Minister told the Russian President “today’s era is not an era of war”. The External Affairs Minister used the line abroad to defend discounted Russian oil purchases.
- Selective admonition: No comparable rebuke went to the Israeli Prime Minister or the US President, and India itself had struck Pakistan.
- Oil and arms buyer: Russia still needs India for oil and arms sales. India has cut reliance on Russian arms, turning to France, Israel and the US.
- China tilt: Russia leans ever more toward its “trusted partner”, China.
Challenges
- Israel versus Iran: New Delhi wants to back Israel and condemn attacks on Iran at once.
- Oil versus Ukraine: India buys Russian oil and aligns more closely with the West on Ukraine.
- Blocs versus Washington: India seeks to stay central to BRICS and the SCO and assure Washington it is not anti-American.
- Transactional drift: India-Russia ties are turning transactional as strategic priorities diverge.
- Strained multi-alignment: The balancing act suits neither Moscow nor Beijing.
Way Forward
- Consistent principle: The Ministry of External Affairs should apply its opposition to war to every conflict.
- Private channels: New Delhi should send sensitive messages to Moscow privately.
- National Security Strategy: The Centre should publish a National Security Strategy so positions stay consistent across governments.
Conclusion
India’s balancing act now reassures one partner at another’s cost, and Russia is the most exposed. Whether New Delhi keeps Moscow’s trust without a consistent principle remains unresolved.
What is Strategic Autonomy?
- Meaning: Strategic autonomy is a nation’s ability to take independent foreign policy positions without military alliances or external coercion.
- Non-alignment era (1947-1991): India stayed out of Cold War blocs to focus on development and decolonisation.
- Multi-alignment era (from 2014): India moved from avoiding alliances to managing several partnerships. Eg. Membership of both the Quad and BRICS.
Matching Previous Year Question
“[2022] Consider the following : 1. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank 2. Missile Technology Control Regime 3. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation India is a member of which of the above ? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 ANSWER: (d)”
