India’s ‘balancing act’ risks eroding Russia’s trust — SkimNews
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- SCO convened in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31–September 1, 2026, while BRICS met in New Delhi on September 12–13, 2026.
- Iran received considerably more attention and support than anticipated from members of both the SCO and BRICS at those summits.
- India shifted its stance on the United States-Israel war against Iran and Russia’s war in Ukraine, a change the source calls more consequential than Iran’s enhanced reception.
- Russia can use the SCO and BRICS as a platform to signal to the West that it is not isolated and still has powerful allies.
- China’s leadership of the SCO and BRICS expansion showcases its growing power to the West.
- India has sought to demonstrate strategic autonomy and remain welcome in both Western and non-Western forums, from the G-7 to the SCO and BRICS.
Why it matters: At the August 31–September 1 SCO meeting and September 12–13 BRICS summit, Iran drew more attention and support than anticipated, while India shifted on both the Iran and Ukraine wars. For Russia, which uses these forums to show it is not isolated, that combination complicates its effort to present the summits as proof of allied solidarity.
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