How is India using its diplomatic influence in global conflicts?

India is actively using its diplomatic influence to navigate and shape outcomes in major global and regional conflicts, relying on direct mediation, strategic positioning in multilateral forums, and the assertion of its sovereign rights.

1. Direct Peace Mediation in the Russia–Ukraine War

India has positioned itself at the centre of active diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This is driven by direct high-level engagements with both sides:

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Engaging with Russia: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Additionally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held direct talks with Putin during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, where he made a personal appeal to end the war "for humanity's sake".

Engaging with Ukraine: Jaishankar recently travelled to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who expressed gratitude for India's firm commitment to finding a peaceful end to the war.

Ceasefire Facilitation: Because India maintains trusted diplomatic channels with both Moscow and Kyiv, it is uniquely positioned to press for a negotiated settlement. Diplomatic experts suggest India should use this access to establish initial confidence-building measures, such as securing commercial shipping lanes in the Black Sea and protecting civilian and energy infrastructure.

2. Leveraging Multilateral Platforms (BRICS & SCO)

Rather than acting in isolation, India is utilizing major multilateral groupings to coordinate international peace efforts and ensure regional security:

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The BRICS Summit: India is expected to leverage the upcoming BRICS summit in New Delhi—which Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are slated to attend—to rally a collective call for ceasefires and infrastructure protection.

The SCO Summit: Prime Minister Modi recently attended the SCO summit in Bishkek, focusing on security challenges, counter-terrorism, and safeguarding regional connectivity, energy, and economic stability.

3. Shifting Regional Strategy: Positioning Over Isolation

In managing its ongoing friction with Pakistan, India’s foreign policy has transitioned from attempting to strictly isolate its neighbour to a more sophisticated strategy of stronger strategic positioning.

Recognising that state policies are driven primarily by national interest rather than moral arguments, India has built robust, multi-layered partnerships with key global players.

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India has achieved a "de-hyphenation" of its relations in South Asia by developing deep economic, technology, and defense convergences with the United States and Saudi Arabia. This strong positioning effectively renders Pakistan's bilateral relationships with these major powers irrelevant to India's interests.

4. Asserting Sovereign Boundaries globally

India is also using its diplomatic leverage to protect its territorial integrity in international forums.

While New Delhi has supported and co-sponsored United Nations resolutions—such as the proposed global Equal-Area World Map—the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has made it clear that its support is conditional.

The MEA has firmly stated that any UN-backed proposed world map must depict the sovereign territories of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh in strict accordance with India's official national map, declaring that inaccurate or misleading depictions will not be tolerated.