New Delhi: The Narendra Modi-led government of India has declined to endorse the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) condemnation of Israel’s ongoing military strikes on Iran, exposing a potential fault line within the Eurasian bloc over the rapidly escalating conflict.
While global leaders have issued urgent calls for restraint, Israel has intensified its offensive against Iran, targeting nuclear and military infrastructure in what many analysts describe as an unprecedented escalation. The latest wave of attacks, which began last Friday, has drawn condemnation from several countries — but not from the Modi government.
The renewed fighting follows two direct confrontations between Iran and Israel earlier in 2024, triggered by Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets and retaliatory attacks from Tehran. Iran reports that recent Israeli strikes have hit residential and military zones across Tehran and other cities, killing at least 80 people — including civilians, senior commanders of the Revolutionary Guard, and prominent nuclear scientists.
On Saturday, Israeli missiles targeted oil reserves, power stations, and refineries across Iran. In response, Tehran launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Tel Aviv and Haifa, killing at least 13 and injuring many more. Simultaneously, Iran announced a pause in its nuclear negotiations with the United States.
Why Did the Modi Government Stay Silent?
The Modi administration’s refusal to participate in the SCO’s condemnation raises several critical questions: Is New Delhi quietly aligning with Israel? What geopolitical risks does this stance pose for India and the broader region?
What Did the SCO Say?
Founded in 2001, the SCO comprises China, Russia, India, Iran, Pakistan, and several Central Asian nations. Iran, the bloc’s newest member, joined in 2023 under India’s own chairmanship.
Currently chaired by China, the SCO on Saturday issued a joint statement expressing “serious concern” over the rising Israel-Iran tensions and “strongly condemning” Israeli strikes on Iranian territory. The statement called Israel’s attacks on civilian infrastructure and energy facilities “a gross violation of international law and the UN Charter,” warning that such actions threaten global peace and stability.
It further emphasized the bloc’s support for resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through peaceful, diplomatic means, and extended condolences to the Iranian government and people.
New Delhi’s Diplomatic Balancing Act
In the immediate aftermath of Israel’s strikes, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, conveying “the deep concern of the international community” and urging restraint and a return to diplomacy. A statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs reiterated New Delhi’s commitment to “monitoring the evolving situation” and promoting dialogue.
“India enjoys close and friendly relations with both countries and stands ready to extend all possible support,” the statement read.
However, when the SCO released its statement condemning Israel, the Modi-led government clarified that it had not participated in drafting or endorsing the declaration. “The overall position of India as stated above was communicated to other SCO members,” the Foreign Ministry said.
Analysts suggest this reflects a broader strategic calculation.
“Unlike other SCO countries, the Modi government has to juggle defence ties with Israel and economic cooperation with Iran,” said Dr. Shanthie D’Souza, a senior fellow at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. India is Israel’s largest arms buyer and has reportedly supplied munitions to Israel during the war in Gaza. At the same time, New Delhi is investing in Iran’s Chabahar Port, a critical trade corridor to Central Asia and Afghanistan.
“India is walking a very fine line in this conflict,” D’Souza added.
Quiet Backing for Israel?
Although the Modi government hasn’t openly backed Israel, its refusal to condemn the strikes and its abstention from a recent UN General Assembly vote demanding a ceasefire in Gaza raise questions about its true alignment.
Kabir Taneja, a strategic analyst at the Observer Research Foundation, called the abstention “perplexing,” speculating that it may be linked to India’s growing ties with the United States. India is currently finalizing a trade agreement with Washington, and maintaining strategic harmony with both the US and Israel could be influencing its position.
“India’s reluctance to endorse the SCO’s statement reflects its somewhat outsider status within the bloc,” Taneja noted. “Russia and China are aligned closely with Iran, but New Delhi’s tilt toward the US-Israel axis makes such statements politically sensitive.”
US Pressure on Iran – A Strategic Setback for India?
New Delhi’s balancing act is further complicated by renewed US sanctions under the second Trump administration. These include suspending waivers that previously allowed India to develop Iran’s Chabahar Port — a key part of its regional connectivity strategy.
The port is critical to bypassing Pakistan for trade with landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asian markets. Now, Trump’s sanctions put at risk India’s multimillion-dollar investment in Chabahar and limit its options in Central Asia.
Yet India’s interest in Iran is not just economic. Iran’s geography is a strategic asset, offering India a vital corridor into regions that are central to its energy, trade, and security objectives.
By choosing not to back the SCO’s condemnation of Israel, the Modi-led government has signalled its preference for strategic autonomy — or what some might see as quiet alignment with the West and Israel. This decision may serve short-term interests, but it also risks long-term consequences for India’s role in regional diplomacy and the future cohesion of multilateral forums like the SCO.
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