New Delhi, India – India has overcome itself from condemning the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) of Israeli’s ongoing attacks on Iran, indicating a possible cracks in the effective Eurasian political block on conflict.
World leaders have repeatedly called for de-assessment amidst unprecedented attacks of Israel on their regional rival, Iran, which threatens to destabilize the region. Last Friday, the latest round of fighting began after Israel started attacking Iran’s military and nuclear sites.
It follows two rounds of direct military conflict between Iran and Israel in 2024, launched by Israeli attacks on the Iranian goals and the subsequent Iranian vengeance.
Iranian officials say that the Israeli attacks since Friday have targeted several cities across the country along with residential and military areas in Tehran, killing at least 80 people including citizens. Several Iranian nuclear scientists and university professors were killed along with the Iranian armed forces and several top-ranking commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
On Saturday, Israeli attacks hit refineries, power stations and oil reserves in Iran. Tehran retaliated by launching hundreds of missiles and drones in the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa, killing at least 13 people and injured dozens. Meanwhile, Tehran has also stopped nuclear dialogue with the United States.
So, why did India refuse to participate in the discussion or support the SCO’s position on Israeli attacks? Is India supporting Israel? And is it at stake for these countries?
What did SCO say?
SCO, a political and security block established in 2001, includes China, Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Iran is the most recent entry, joining the SCO headed by India in 2023.
On Saturday, the SCO, who is currently headed by China, stated that its member states “expressed serious concern” to increase Iran-Israel tension and strongly condemned the military attacks by Israel “in Iran’s territory”.
The SCO’s statement further stated that the “aggressive action against Israeli’s” civic goals, including energy and transport infrastructure, resulted in citizens casualties, is a gross violation of international law and United Nations Charter “.
,[Israeli attacks] Forms a violation on Iran’s sovereignty, damage regional and international security, and pose serious risk to global peace and stability, “the statement states that Iran’s government and people express condolences to the people.
The statement said, “SCO members state the state -of -the -political and diplomat, especially through peaceful, political and diplomatic means to resolve the situation around Iran.”
India’s ‘delicate balance act’
After Israel’s initial attacks on Tehran, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar interacted with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Aragchi over phone, in which he “expressed deep concern of the international community at the turn of incidents”.
According to India’s Foreign Ministry, Jaishankar urged “to avoid any escalatry steps and start a initial return of diplomacy.” The ministry also underlined its concerns in a separate statement on Friday.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said, “We are closely monitoring the developed situation, including reports related to attacks on nuclear sites,” SaidTo use the existing channels of communication and diplomacy from both sides to urge “working towards a de-size of the situation”.
“India enjoys close and friendly relations with both countries and is ready to expand all possible supports,” the statement said.
“Unlike other SCO countries, India is in a unique position, seeing that it has to maintain a defense relationship with Iran and its economic relations,” told Al Jazeera, a senior research of Massachusetts-Amharst University, Shanthi D’Souza told Al Jazeera.
India is Israel’s largest weapon buyer, and in 2024, Indian arms firms also sold Israel rockets and explosives amidst the war in Gaza, an al -Jazeera investigation revealed. At the same time, India is developing the Chabahar port of Iran as an entrance to the export of Central Asia and Afghanistan.
“India has maintained a delicate balance act [in the latest round of fighting between Israel and Iran]”D’Souza said.
Following the statement of SCO condemning Israeli attacks on Iran, New Delhi said it did not participate in the discussion about the statement.
“India’s overall position as stated above, other SCO members were informed,” SaidReferring to its earlier statement for India’s official status.
Is India supporting Israel?
apparently not. But by removing itself from the stand of the block, New Delhi has weakened the force of condemning the scholes of Israeli attacks on Iran.
A day before he removed itself from the SCO’s statement, India avoided voting on a draft resolution at the United Nations General Assembly, demanding “immediate, unconditional and permanent” ceasefire in Gaza.
For Kabir Taneja, Deputy Director of the Strategic Studies Program at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, India is an abortion in the United Nations. He suggested that it could be influenced by India’s will to maintain good relations with India, given that Bharat is close to a trade agreement with Washington – US President Donald Trump’s 27 percent of tariffs are trying to raise a deal to lift the tariff of 27 percent of Indian goods in July.
On the one hand, Taneja said that to get away from the SCO on the stresses of Israel-Iran of New Delhi “reflects the construction of the SCO, where India is in a way inside”.
While China and Russia are close to Iran, Taneja said, looking at India’s relations with America and Israel, “It would have been very difficult [for India] To subscribe to SCO’s special word and statement ”.
Is American pressure on Iran endanger India’s regional ambitions?
Trump banned the US after the US return from Iran nuclear deal in 2017, Iran was India’s third largest oil supplier.
In February, after returning to Trump’s office for a second term, he approved Iran and doubled Iran on an economic pressure strategy, giving Iran any degree of economic or financial relief, including Iran’s Chabahar Port Project “.
The port will allow India to bypass its opponent, Pakistan by trade with landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia through Iran. India had earlier obtained a ban from the US during the Trump administration for the work related to Chabahar.
Now, Trump’s sanctions put the investment of New Delhi’s multi-dollar in strategically located marine convenience.
But India’s interest in maintaining strong relations with Iran is only beyond the port project. Taneja mentioned that India gives importance to the geographical location of Iran as it gives it access to Afghanistan and Central Asia – the important fields for India’s trade, security and influence.
