"India's Strategic Balancing between Israel and Iran during the 2026 War: Challenges, Opportunities and Foreign Policy Implications"

“India's Strategic Balancing between Israel and Iran during the 2026 War: Challenges, Opportunities and Foreign Policy Implications” Dr. Mintu Pathak* The outbreak of the Israel–Iran War in 2026 marked a significant turning point in the geopolitics of West Asia and posed serious diplomatic, economic, and strategic challenges for India. As a country maintaining strong relations with both Israel and Iran, India faced the complex task of safeguarding its national interests while avoiding alignment with either side of the conflict. This study examines India's strategic balancing approach during the 2026 Israel-Iran War and analyses the challenges, opportunities, and foreign policy implications arising from the crisis. The research adopts a qualitative and analytical methodology based on secondary sources, including government documents, policy reports, academic literature, and contemporary developments related to the conflict. The study finds that India's policy was guided by the principles of strategic autonomy, multi-alignment, energy security, economic stability, and regional peace. While the conflict created concerns regarding energy supplies, trade routes, and diplomatic relations, it also provided opportunities for India to strengthen its role as a responsible regional stakeholder and emerging global power. The paper argues that India's response reflects the evolution of its foreign policy from traditional non-alignment to pragmatic multi-alignment. The findings contribute to a better understanding of India's contemporary foreign policy behaviour in an increasingly uncertain international environment. *Associate Professor, Dept. of Political Science, Tangla College