India Distances Itself From SCO’s Israel Criticism, Reaffirms Support For Diplomacy Amid Crisis In West Asia

India has opted not to align itself with a recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) statement that strongly condemned Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, reported Times of India.

While the SCO termed the Israeli strikes as violations of international law and the UN Charter, accusing Tel Aviv of targeting civilian infrastructure and infringing Iran’s sovereignty, India clarified that it was not part of the discussions that led to the statement.

“The overall position of India...was communicated to other SCO members. Keeping that in mind, India did not participate in the discussions on the above-mentioned SCO statement,” said the Indian government on Saturday (14 June).

The MEA recalled its earlier call for restraint and de-escalation through dialogue and diplomacy, and cited External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent conversation with his Iranian counterpart where he conveyed international concerns and urged calm.

India’s decision marks a second show of cautious support for Israel this week, following its abstention from a UN General Assembly resolution calling for an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. This has prompted criticism from domestic opposition parties.

Although India has previously endorsed a BRICS statement criticising Israeli actions in Gaza, its approach within SCO appears more measured.

Pakistan’s membership in the SCO is likely to be a possible factor behind India’s reluctance to join the bloc in censuring a strategic ally like Israel.

This is not the first time New Delhi has broken ranks with the SCO. In past summits, it withheld support for China-backed initiatives, including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the SCO’s economic strategy for 2030.

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