Beijing is set to host two high-profile events this week that underline China’s growing influence. The first is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin on 31 August and 1 September, followed by a grand Victory Day military parade in the Chinese capital on 3 September. The parade marks the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan in the Second World War and is expected to be a major show of strength.

China has invited leaders from more than 26 nations, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto. Other key attendees will include Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, leaders from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. From Southeast Asia, Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni, Laos’ President Thongloun Sisoulith, and Vietnam’s President Luong Quang will also participate, while South Korea will be represented by its Parliament Speaker Woo Won-shik.

The parade will display China’s advanced military capabilities, featuring more than 100 fighter jets, missiles, and tanks, aimed at sending a message of solidarity with its allies at a time when Beijing faces criticism from the West over its stance on the Russia-Ukraine war and Asia-Pacific issues.

However, India has made it clear that it will not take part in China’s parade. Senior Indian leaders will attend the SCO summit but return before the military display begins. This decision reflects New Delhi’s cautious approach — while India values regional cooperation through platforms like the SCO, it prefers to distance itself from parades that symbolize military alliances.

A major factor behind India’s absence is its deepening ties with Japan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Tokyo strengthened bilateral relations, with both countries adopting a shared vision for the next decade. Since China’s Victory Day parade symbolically celebrates victory over Japan, Indian participation could have strained this growing partnership. Respecting Japan’s sensitivities, India chose to stay away.

At the same time, India’s decision underscores its broader foreign policy goals. Rather than aligning itself with a China-Russia-North Korea axis, India continues to emphasize strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific, working closely with Japan, the US, and Australia through initiatives like the Quad. By attending the SCO summit but skipping the parade, New Delhi reaffirmed its independent foreign policy while maintaining a careful balance in global geopolitics.