Context

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek (August 31–September 1, 2026) and the BRICS summit in New Delhi (September 12–13, 2026) marked significant developments in Indian foreign policy.
• India endorsed declarations supporting Iran and Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
• It revealed the growing challenges of strategic autonomy and multi-alignment amid intensifying geopolitical rivalries.

The Strategic Significance of SCO and BRICS

• The SCO and BRICS provide platforms for cooperation among Russia, India, China, and other emerging powers.
• Russia uses them to demonstrate that it is not internationally isolated, while China seeks to expand its geopolitical influence and challenge Western dominance.
• India participates in these organisations while maintaining relations with Western forums such as the G-7.
• This approach enables New Delhi to protect its national interests without aligning exclusively with any major power.

A Surprise Pivot

• At Bishkek, India endorsed a declaration condemning attacks on Iran, reaffirming its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and mourning the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli air strikes.
• This represented a departure from India’s traditional reluctance to directly criticise Washington and Tel Aviv.
• India also supported strong statements affirming Palestinian rights and the two-state solution, despite maintaining close relations with Israel.
• Meanwhile PM Modi publicly urged Mr. Putin to end Russia’s prolonged war in Ukraine.
• India’s position may have been influenced by its desire to secure the participation of Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit.
• Following Operation Sindoor (2025), India faced concerns about diplomatic marginalisation, while Pakistan gained prominence through its mediation role in the Iran conflict.
• A successful BRICS summit was therefore important for restoring India’s international standing.

Contradictory shifts

• India’s support for Iran did not signify a complete break with Washington.
• Mr. Modi’s public appeal to Putin demonstrated concern about the Ukraine conflict and reassured Western governments of India’s continuing engagement with their position.
• Consequently, India supported declarations accommodating Russian interests while publicly urging Moscow to end the war.
• These contrasting approaches expose the difficulties of multi-alignment.
• India seeks to maintain relations with Israel while opposing attacks on Iran, purchase Russian oil while strengthening Western partnerships, and participate in BRICS without appearing anti-American.
• Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi met on the side-lines of the New Delhi summit, although they had not held bilateral talks in Bishkek.
• Neither summit declaration mentioned Ukraine, allowing the organisations to avoid directly criticising Moscow.

The Problem of Selective Diplomacy

• At the 2022 SCO summit in Samarkand, PM Modi told Putin that today’s era is not an era of war.
• India subsequently used this statement to explain that purchasing discounted Russian oil did not imply support for Russia’s invasion.
• However, India has not issued comparable public admonitions to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over military campaigns across West Asia or to U.S. President Donald Trump following American attacks on Iran.
• India’s own military action against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor also complicates its opposition to warfare. Such selective diplomacy may undermine India’s credibility.
• Moscow could interpret Mr. Modi’s statements as performative gestures intended to reassure the West rather than expressions of consistently applied principles.

Where Ties with Russia Stand?

• Russia remains important to India for energy security, defence cooperation, and military supplies.
• However, India has diversified its defence procurement by increasingly turning to France, Israel, and the United States, reducing its dependence on Russian arms.
• Meanwhile, Russia is strengthening its partnership with China.
• Although India and Russia continue to share strategic interests, their relationship is becoming increasingly transactional, shaped by immediate economic and geopolitical considerations.
• India must therefore balance closer Western engagement with the need to preserve its longstanding relationship with Moscow.
• Excessive criticism could weaken mutual trust, while continued dependence on Russian supplies could constrain India’s strategic flexibility.

Conclusion

• The 2026 SCO and BRICS summits demonstrated both the opportunities and limitations of India’s multi-alignment strategy.
• India’s positions on Iran and Ukraine reflect its efforts to preserve diplomatic flexibility, but inconsistent responses to international conflicts risk undermining its credibility.
• India must reconcile strategic autonomy with diplomatic consistency, diversify its partnerships, and protect its national interests without becoming dependent on any single power.
• Its global influence will ultimately depend on strategic clarity, credible diplomacy, and principled decision-making in an increasingly fragmented international order.