Iran received considerably more attention and support from members of both the groups, far more than anticipated.
asserted
Iran → receive → groups
Traditionally, the SCO and BRICS summits have offered the three major powers — Russia, India and China — an opportunity to demonstrate their mutual solidarity.
asserted
summits → offer → solidarity
For Russia, it is a platform from which it can signal to the West that it is not isolated and still has powerful allies.
asserted
it → signal → allies
The expansion of the SCO and BRICS under China’s leadership showcases its growing power to the West.
asserted
expansion → showcase → West
For India, the SCO and BRICS have been useful for demonstrating its strategic autonomy.
asserted
SCO → demonstrate → autonomy
India has sought to remain welcome in both western and non-western forums, from the G-7 to the SCO and BRICS.
asserted
India → seek → SCO
At Bishkek, however, India sprang two surprises.
asserted
India → spring → surprises
First, it endorsed the Bishkek Declaration, which condemned the attacks on Iran as violations of international law, reaffirmed Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and mourned the killing of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in U.S.-Israeli air strikes on February 28, 2026.
asserted
which → endorse → February
Although the declaration did not name the U.S. or Israel, its meaning was unmistakable.
asserted
meaning → name → U.S.
India reaffirmed its opposition to military strikes on Iran by endorsing the Bishkek Declaration, which condemned the attacks and reiterated support for Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
asserted
which → reaffirm → sovereignty
Second, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unusually blunt appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring Russia’s seemingly endless war in Ukraine to an end.
asserted
Modi → make → end
India has generally sought to avoid directly condemning the U.S. or Israel for their military actions against Iran, even though Iran, like India, is a member of both the SCO and BRICS.
asserted
Iran → seek → SCO
India had previously avoided explicitly accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, although it had supported UN resolutions calling for a ceasefire and reaffirmed its commitment to Palestinian statehood.
asserted
it → avoid → statehood
Indeed, New Delhi had emphatically declared that it stands with Israel, while often working in multilateral forums to soften language that is critical of Washington and Tel Aviv.
asserted
that → declare → Washington
But in both the Bishkek and Delhi Declarations, India signed on to very strong criticism of Israel as well as very strong affirmation of Palestinian rights and the two-state solution.
asserted
India → sign → rights
One interpretation of this pivot in policy is that India may have signed on to the declaration to avoid alienating Mr. Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and thereby jeopardising their attendance at India’s BRICS summit.
uncertain
India → sign → summit
Since Operation Sindoor (2025), India has faced a growing perception of diplomatic marginalisation.
asserted
India → face → marginalisation
Meanwhile, Pakistan has gained diplomatic prominence through Washington’s selection of Islamabad as a mediator in the conflict with Iran, while several Gulf nations have sought defence agreements with Pakistan.
asserted
nations → gain → Pakistan
Consequently, India needed a successful and high-profile BRICS summit, which it got.
asserted
it → need → which
While there is a shift in India’s policy, New Delhi has not abandoned Washington entirely.
asserted
Delhi → be → Washington
Mr. Modi’s public appeal to Mr. Putin to end the endless war in Ukraine can therefore be read as a counter-signal to Washington.
asserted
appeal → end → Washington
Had the message been intended only for Moscow, it could have been conveyed privately.
uncertain
it → intend → Moscow
Delivering it publicly suggested that Mr. Modi was also reassuring the West.
uncertain
Modi → deliver → West
India may have joined the SCO and BRICS consensus on Iran to secure a successful BRICS summit, but it was now leaning more toward the western position on Ukraine than before.
uncertain
it → join → Ukraine
These apparently contradictory shifts reveal the strain on India’s foreign policy.
asserted
shifts → reveal → policy
New Delhi wants to support Israel while condemning attacks on Iran; buy Russian oil while aligning more closely with the West on Ukraine; and remain central to BRICS and the SCO while assuring Washington that it is not part of an anti-American bloc.
asserted
it → want → bloc
Multi-alignment is becoming an increasingly difficult exercise in this era of change and turbulence.
asserted
alignment → become → change
India’s balancing act is unlikely to sit comfortably with either Moscow or Beijing.
asserted
act → sit → Moscow
Although Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi did not meet bilaterally at the SCO summit in Bishkek, they held talks on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi.
asserted
they → meet → Delhi
The meeting preceded Mr. Xi’s high-profile G2 summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, which was held in September 2026.
asserted
which → precede → September
Neither summit declaration mentioned the war in Ukraine, avoiding criticism of Moscow even as Mr. Modi publicly urged Mr. Putin to end the conflict.
asserted
Modi → mention → conflict
India thus endorsed two declarations accommodating Russia’s position without fully embracing it.
asserted
India → endorse → it
From Mr. Putin’s perspective, this was the second time that Mr. Modi had used what might be called ‘jumla’ (performative) diplomacy at Russia’s expense.
uncertain
what → use → expense
At Samarkand on September 16, 2022, Mr. Modi told Mr. Putin that “today’s era is not an era of war”.
asserted
era → tell → war
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar subsequently repeated that phrase in western capitals to demonstrate that India’s purchase of discounted Russian oil did not signify political support for Russia’s invasion.
asserted
purchase → repeat → invasion
The selectivity of these admonitions is difficult to ignore.
asserted
selectivity → ignore → admonitions
Mr. Modi has not used comparable language toward Mr. Netanyahu, even as Israel has attacked several countries and territories across West Asia, many on multiple occasions, and has committed genocide in Gaza.
asserted
Israel → use → Gaza
Nor has Mr. Modi publicly directed the same admonition at Mr. Trump following American attacks on Iran.
asserted
Modi → direct → Iran
India itself attacked Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
asserted
India → attack → Sindoor
Mr. Putin may therefore conclude that Mr. Modi’s declaration that this is “not an era of war” reflects neither a consistent principle nor a universal opposition to war, but diplomatic messaging designed to reassure the West at Russia’s expense.
uncertain
this → conclude → expense
…and 8 more, not listed.
The Aporia
