The Sultanate of Bijapur was one of Shivaji's primary adversaries. The Bijapur rulers viewed Shivaji as a threat to their authority in the Deccan region and sought to eliminate him.
The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb considered Shivaji a major obstacle to the expansion of Mughal influence in the Deccan. The conflict between the Mughals and Shivaji's forces was intense, leading to several battles.
Sultan Adil Shah sought to consolidate control over the Deccan and viewed Shivaji's rising power as a threat. He engaged in several campaigns against Shivaji.
Some Maratha nobles were initially opposed to Shivaji's rise due to their loyalty to the Deccan sultanates or because they viewed him as a rival to their own power.
The Portuguese, who controlled coastal territories in Western India, saw Shivaji's expansionist policies as a threat to their lucrative trade routes and sometimes clashed with his forces.
Certain tribal groups, including the Kolis, were sometimes against Shivaji's forces, particularly when faced with the Maratha expansion into their territories.
Although Baji Rao was a later leader of the Maratha Empire, he fought against the same imperialist forces, such as the Mughals, and local rulers that Shivaji had previously challenged.