Beijing, the capital of China, is preparing to host two significant events this week. The first is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, which will take place in Tianjin from August 31st to September 1st. The second event, the Victory Day military parade, is scheduled for September 3rd and will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan in World War II.
China has invited leaders from over 26 countries to attend the parade, including Russia, North Korea, Belarus, Iran, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Serbia, and Slovakia. Leaders from Southeast Asia such as Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam will also be present, alongside the Speaker of the South Korean Parliament.
The parade is designed to showcase China’s advanced military capabilities, featuring over 100 fighter jets, missiles, and tanks. China views the event as a demonstration of unity, especially given the concerns of Western nations about the Russia-Ukraine war and China’s role in the Asia-Pacific region.
India, along with Turkey and Egypt, will limit its presence to the SCO summit and will not participate in the parade. India’s decision reflects its preference to avoid any appearance of alignment with a military axis, similar to the approach of Western nations and their allies. The growing relationship between India and Japan is also a factor. Prime Minister Modi’s recent visit to Tokyo established a shared vision for the coming decade. Participating in the Victory Day parade, which is closely linked to Japan, could have negatively affected India-Japan relations. India has chosen to respect Japan’s sentiments by not attending the parade.
India’s strategic decision is based on its desire to maintain relations with China while prioritizing the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region through the Quad partnership with Japan, the United States, and Australia. Participating in China’s military parade could have sent the wrong political message. The Victory Day parade commemorates the victory over Japan, and India considers Japan a close partner. While India will participate in the SCO summit to promote regional cooperation and diplomatic dialogue, it will maintain its independent foreign policy by not participating in the parade. While China will showcase its close ties with Russia and North Korea, India will pursue its strategic balancing act, limiting its involvement to the SCO platform.
