Modi caught between Israel and Iran – what game is India playing

India under Narendra Modi is trying to maintain a balance between Israel, Iran, China, Russia, and the West. New Delhi is simultaneously developing relations with Israel and the West, maintaining contacts with Iran and Russia, and seeking to reduce tensions with China. This policy is particularly evident at the BRICS summit in New Delhi.

India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pursuing a multi-vector foreign policy, trying to maintain a balance between Israel, Iran, China, Russia, and the West. New Delhi is simultaneously developing a strategic partnership with Israel in security and technology, maintaining contacts with Iran as an energy and regional partner, purchasing energy from Russia, and seeking to reduce tensions with China after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. This policy is particularly evident at the BRICS summit in New Delhi, where leaders from countries with different positions on key international conflicts gathered around one table: Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Earlier, Modi demonstrated firm support for Israel, condemning the Hamas attack on October 7, but on the eve of the summit he met with Iranian leadership, discussing the situation in the Middle East and freedom of navigation. Xi Jinping's return to India after a seven-year hiatus marks a gradual restoration of contacts: direct flights and trade ties have resumed, although territorial disputes remain a source of tension. Modi emphasized at the summit's opening that BRICS is not directed against the West but aims to strengthen the positions of developing economies. Ultimately, New Delhi seeks not to choose one camp but to maintain maximum freedom of action on the world stage.