Why did India refuse to condemn the attack on Iran by Israel as part of the SCO?

India has distanced itself from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in its condemnation of Israel's ongoing attacks on Iran, indicating that this influential Eurasian political bloc may be showing cracks amid the conflict.

In light of Israel's unprecedented strikes against its regional rival Iran, which have threatened stability in the region, world leaders have repeatedly called for de-escalation. The latest round of fighting between the two erupted after Israel's attacks on Iranian military and nuclear facilities last Friday.

Prior to this, Iran and Israel had engaged in two rounds of direct military conflicts in 2024, following Israel's attacks on Iranian targets and subsequent retaliation by Iran.

The Iranian authorities stated that since last Friday, Israel's attacks have targeted residential areas and military zones in Tehran and many other cities across the country, resulting in at least 80 deaths, including civilians. Several Iranian nuclear scientists, university professors, and senior commanders of the Iranian Armed Forces and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were among the casualties.

Saturday, Israeli forces attacked refineries, power plants, and oil storage facilities across Iran. In response, Iran retaliated with hundreds of missiles and drones and fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israeli cities Tel Aviv and Haifa, causing at least 13 deaths and dozens of injuries. Meanwhile, Iran suspended its nuclear negotiations with the United States.

So why did India refuse to participate in discussions or support the SCO's stance on Israel's attacks? Is India supporting Israel? What risks do these countries face?

What Did the SCO Say?

The SCO is a political and security organization established in 2001, with members including China, Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Iran is the newest member – it joined the SCO under India's chairmanship in 2023.

China, as the current rotating chair of the SCO, stated on Saturday that its member states "expressed serious concern" over the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel and "strongly condemned" Israel's military strikes on Iranian territory.

The SCO's statement further noted that Israel's "aggressive actions targeting civilian targets, including energy and transportation infrastructure, have caused civilian casualties," which "seriously violate international law and the UN Charter."

The statement added: "Israel's attacks have violated Iran's sovereignty, undermined regional and international security, and pose a serious threat to global peace and stability." It also expressed condolences to the Iranian government and people.

The statement pointed out that SCO member states are firmly committed to resolving issues related to Iran's nuclear program solely through peaceful, political, and diplomatic means."

India's "Delicate Balance"

At the beginning of Israel's attacks on Tehran, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian, during which he "expressed the deep concerns of the international community regarding the developments."

According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Jaishankar "urged avoiding any escalatory measures and early restoration of diplomatic channels." The Ministry of External Affairs also emphasized this concern in another statement released on Friday.

The Ministry stated: "We are closely monitoring the situation, including reports of attacks on nuclear facilities." It urged both sides in the conflict to utilize existing dialogue and diplomatic channels "to work towards de-escalation."

The statement noted: "India maintains close friendly relations with both countries and stands ready to provide all possible support."

Shanti DeSouza, a senior researcher at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, told Al Jazeera: "Unlike other SCO countries, India is in a unique position because it must maintain defense ties with Israel and economic ties with Iran."

India is Israel's largest arms buyer. An Al Jazeera investigation found that during the Gaza war in 2024, Indian arms companies also sold rockets to Israel. Meanwhile, India has been developing Iran's Chabahar Port to serve as a gateway for exports to Central Asia and Afghanistan.

DeSouza said, "India has maintained a delicate balance throughout the latest round of tensions between Israel and Iran."

After the SCO issued a statement condemning Israel's attacks on Iran, New Delhi stated that it was not involved in discussions regarding this statement.

The Ministry of External Affairs said: "India's overall position has been conveyed to other SCO member states." The ministry stated that previous statements by India represent its official stance.

Is India Supporting Israel?

India has not made its stance clear. However, by distancing itself from the SCO's position, New Delhi weakened the impact of the bloc's condemnation of Israel's attacks on Iran.

One day before India distanced itself from the SCO's statement, New Delhi abstained on a draft resolution at the United Nations General Assembly calling for an "immediate, unconditional, and permanent" ceasefire in Gaza.

Kabir Taneja, deputy director of the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, found New Delhi's abstention puzzling. He noted that this might be influenced by India's desire to maintain good relations with the United States, pointing out that India is striving to reach a trade agreement with the U.S. – before a tariff exemption of 27% on Indian goods imposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump expires in early July.

Besides national interests, Taneja noted that India's distance from the SCO on the issue of Israeli-Iranian tensions also "reflects the structure of the SCO – to some extent, India is an outsider within the organization."

Taneja said that China and Russia have close relations with Iran, but given India's ties with the U.S. and Israel, "India finds it difficult to accept the specific wording and statements of the SCO."

Will U.S. Pressure on Iran Threaten India's Regional Ambitions?

Before former U.S. President Donald Trump announced the unilateral withdrawal of the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal in 2017 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, Iran was India's third-largest oil supplier.

In February this year, after Trump became president again, he doubled down on economic pressure and suspended "any sanctions waivers that provided economic or financial assistance to Iran, including those related to the Chabahar Port project."

This port would enable India to bypass its rival Pakistan and conduct trade with landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia via Iran. During the first term of Trump's administration, India received sanctions exemptions related to the Chabahar Port project.

Now, Trump's sanctions put New Delhi's millions of dollars of investments in this strategic maritime facility at risk.

However, India's desire to maintain close ties with Iran goes beyond just port projects. Taneja noted that India values Iran's geographical location because it allows access to Afghanistan and Central Asia – regions crucial to India's trade, security, and influence.

Source: aljazeera

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7516519165616734783/

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