India’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and the BRICS Summit in New Delhi in 2026 highlighted a shift in its foreign policy. India endorsed declarations condemning attacks on Iran and supporting Palestinian rights, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. These developments reflect the growing challenge of maintaining strategic autonomy while balancing relations with Russia, China, the United States and Israel.

Why in the News?

At the SCO Summit (August 31–September 1, 2026), India endorsed the Bishkek Declaration, which condemned attacks on Iran and reaffirmed its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

  • At the BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi (September 12–13, 2026), India supported strong language on Palestinian rights and the two-state solution.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly urged Putin to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, raising questions about India’s relations with Russia.

India’s Shift in Foreign Policy

India has traditionally used platforms such as the SCO and BRICS to demonstrate strategic autonomy and maintain relations with both Western and non-Western countries.

  • At the Bishkek SCO Summit, India endorsed a declaration that condemned attacks on Iran as violations of international law and mourned the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in U.S.-Israeli air strikes on February 28, 2026.
  • The declaration did not explicitly name the United States or Israel, but its criticism was clear.
  • India also supported strong language on Palestinian rights in the SCO and BRICS declarations, marking a departure from its earlier tendency to soften criticism of Washington and Tel Aviv in multilateral forums.

Why Did India Change Its Position?

India’s shift may have been influenced by several diplomatic considerations:

  • Maintaining Russia’s and China’s participation: India needed the presence of Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to ensure the success of its BRICS presidency.
  • Avoiding diplomatic isolation: Following Operation Sindoor in 2025, India faced concerns about its diplomatic position, while Pakistan gained prominence through Washington’s selection of Islamabad as a mediator in the Iran conflict.
  • Protecting strategic autonomy: India sought to maintain its role in BRICS and the SCO without completely distancing itself from the West.

India’s Position on the Russia-Ukraine War

At the SCO Summit, the PM Modi Putin Meeting on the war in Ukraine drew attention as PM Modi made a direct public appeal to Putin to end the conflict. The statement was significant because India had generally avoided publicly pressuring Russia over the war in Ukraine.

  • The appeal can be interpreted as a signal to Western countries that India does not fully support Russia’s military actions, even while maintaining close relations with Moscow.
  • However, neither the SCO nor the BRICS summit declaration mentioned the war in Ukraine.
  • This allowed India to participate in declarations that accommodated Russia’s position while PM Modi publicly called for an end to the conflict.

The ‘Not an Era of War’ Statement

At the Samarkand SCO Summit on September 16, 2022,PM Modi told Putin that “today’s era is not an era of war.” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) S. Jaishankar later repeated the phrase in Western capitals to explain that India’s purchase of discounted Russian oil did not amount to political support for Russia’s invasion.

  • Such public statements may be perceived in Moscow as performative diplomacy intended to reassure the West.
  • The selectivity of these statements also raises questions about the consistency of India’s position.
  • PM Modi has not delivered comparable public admonitions to U.S. President Donald Trump over attacks on Iran or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s military operations in Gaza and elsewhere in West Asia.

Challenges to India’s Multi-Alignment Policy

India’s foreign policy seeks to maintain relations with competing global powers. However, the conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine have made this approach more difficult. These competing objectives increase the risk that India’s actions may be viewed as inconsistent by its partners. India faces several competing priorities:

  • Supporting its strategic partnership with Israel while condemning attacks on Iran.
  • Purchasing Russian oil while moving closer to the Western position on Ukraine.
  • Remaining influential in BRICS and the SCO while reassuring Washington that it is not part of an anti-American bloc.
  • Maintaining relations with Russia while diversifying its defence procurement towards France, Israel and the United States..

Where Do India-Russia Relations Stand?

Russia continues to depend on India as a major purchaser of its oil and military equipment. India, however, has gradually reduced its dependence on Russian arms by diversifying its defence imports.

  • The relationship remains important to both countries but is becoming increasingly transactional, with economic and strategic interests playing a greater role.
  • Meanwhile, Russia is moving closer to China, which it considers a trusted partner. India’s efforts to remain in Washington’s favour could weaken the long-standing India-Russia partnership.

Conclusion

India’s balancing act reflects its effort to preserve strategic autonomy and multi-alignment in an increasingly divided international order. However, public criticism of Russia alongside continued engagement with Moscow may create doubts about India’s consistency. Maintaining trust will require New Delhi to balance its Western partnerships with its long-standing strategic relationship with Russia.