What difference does 50% tariffs and two and a half months make? Ask India! There seems to have happened a shift in New Delhi’s stance on the strike in Iran amid strained ties with Washington. The latest twist in the tone comes around 75 days after distancing itself from a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) statement condemning Israeli strikes on Iran.

Two and a half months after the last SCO declaration, India has now signed the Tianjin declaration, which goes further – strongly censuring both Israel and the United States. Adopted on September 1 at the SCO summit in Tianjin, the declaration accused Washington and Tel Aviv of “gross violations of international law and the UN Charter”.

It also warned that their actions undermined global peace and stability.

Why did India change its stance on Iran strikes?

India’s shift in stance contrasts with June 14, when New Delhi avoided backing an SCO statement issued just after Israeli strikes killed 78 people in Iran, including senior officials and the country’s chief nuclear negotiator. At the time, India’s Ministry of External Affairs limited its response to urging “dialogue and diplomacy.”

India’s endorsement of a text that openly condemns the United States comes at a moment of growing strain in bilateral relations, after President Donald Trump announced 50% tariffs on Indian goods landing in the US.

Trade disputes have resurfaced in recent months, with Washington pressing New Delhi to roll back import restrictions and data localisation rules. On security, US officials have voiced concern over India’s closer defence alignment with Russia, while New Delhi has bristled at Washington’s criticism of its oil imports from Moscow.

Against this backdrop, India’s alignment with a China- and Russia-backed declaration that directly targets US military action may complicate efforts to stabilise ties.

Tianjin Declaration on Iran strikes: What did it say?

It called the aggressive actions against civilian targets, including nuclear energy infrastructure, which resulted in the death of civilians, a gross violation of the principles and norms of international law and the UN Charter, and an infringement of Iran’s sovereignty.

“They undermine regional and international security and have serious implications for global peace and stability,” it said, noting that the physical nuclear safety and security of nuclear facilities must be ensured on a permanent basis, including during periods of armed conflict.

India had in June also abstained from voting on a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

What about Gaza and the wider Middle East conflict?

The Tianjin declaration also expressed alarm over the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. It demanded a complete ceasefire, unhindered aid access, and renewed peace efforts.

This comes after the UN formally declared famine in Gaza in August 2025, with more than 63,000 civilians killed since October 2023. For India, the wording underscores its delicate balancing act between ties with Israel, its large diaspora in the Gulf, and energy dependencies on the broader region.

Is India still resisting Chinese-led economic initiatives?

While endorsing the political language of the Tianjin declaration, India once again refused to back its economic components. The text reaffirmed support for China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and a 2030 economic development plan, both of which India opted out of.

New Delhi also distanced itself from proposed mechanisms like the SCO Development Bank, currency settlement frameworks, and the Qingdao trade and economic zone, all of which were listed as projects for “interested member states” only.

By continuing to block Chinese-led economic initiatives, India signals that it is not sliding fully into the Russia-China camp either, despite PM Narendra Modi’s recent pictures with the leaders. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s top trade adviser Peter Navarro has described as “troublesome” the show of unity between the leaders of India, Russia and China.