After SCO statement on Iran-Israel tensions, India says no change in its position

The Hindu

20 hours ago

India on Saturday (June 14, 2025) asserted that its position on the Israel-Iran situation remains as stated earlier and urged the international community to utilise channels of dialogue and diplomacy towards de-escalation, after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) issued a statement critical of Israel's military strikes.
India had on Friday said it was "deeply concerned" at the recent developments between Iran and Israel and "closely monitoring" the evolving situation, even as New Delhi had urged both countries to avoid any escalatory steps.
SCO condemns Israel's attack on Iran
The statement by SCO dated June 14 said, "The member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) express serious concern over the escalating tensions in the Middle East and strongly condemn the military strikes carried out by Israel on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran on June 13." China currently holds the chairmanship of the SCO. The influential economic and security bloc's members include Russia, India and Pakistan.
The SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation established in 2001 in Shanghai in China by Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The SCO statement on the Israel-Iran situation claimed, "Such aggressive actions (by Israel) against civilian targets, including energy and transport infrastructure, which have resulted in civilian casualties, are a gross violation of international law and the United Nations Charter." They constitute an "infringement on Iran's sovereignty", cause damage to regional and international security, and pose "serious risks to global peace and stability," it argued.
"The SCO member states firmly advocate for the resolution of the situation surrounding Iran's nuclear program exclusively through peaceful, political, and diplomatic means," the SCO statement said.
India's association with the SCO began in 2005 as an observer country. It became a full member state of SCO at the Astana summit in 2017.
Pakistan became its permanent member along with India in 2017.
Iran in July 2023 had become a permanent member of the SCO at an India-hosted virtual summit of the grouping.
MEA statement on Israel-Iran conflict
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India had communicated its position to other SCO members and did not participate in the discussions on the statement.
Our Statement on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)⬇️
🔗 https://t.co/bvBnmlSMX9pic.twitter.com/ZHqCyHFvHs — Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) June 14, 2025
"The SCO has issued a statement on recent developments between Israel and Iran. India's own position on the matter had been articulated by us on 13 June 2025, and remains the same," the MEA said in a statement.
"We urge that channels of dialogue and diplomacy be utilised to work towards de-escalation and it is essential that the international community undertake endeavours in that direction," it said.
What does this MEA statement really mean? It seems to suggest that Israel can attack Iran but that Iran should exercise restraint and not climb the escalatory ladder. Have we been reduced to being an abject apologist for Israel?
We cannot even condemn Israel's attacks on and… pic.twitter.com/xU5yxzeCNG — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 14, 2025
The MEA further said the "overall position of India as stated above was communicated to other SCO members".
"Keeping that in mind, India did not participate in the discussions on the above-mentioned SCO statement," it added.
In its statement on Saturday, the MEA said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar too discussed this matter with his Iranian counterpart on Friday and "conveyed the deep concern of the international community at the turn of events".
"He also urged the avoidance of any escalatory steps and an early return to diplomacy," the statement said.