Page 5 - The Indian EYE 072525

COVER STORY JULY 25, 2025 | The Indian Eye 5

trolled diplomatic environment to in- not inconsistent with its outreach to
teract with Beijing—avoiding bilateral SCO or RIC. Nor is its growing de-
grandstanding while maintaining dia- fense cooperation with France at odds
logue under a multilateral umbrella. with its energy ties with Iran or its bal-
ancing act in West Asia.
THE REVIVAL OF RIC? As global fault lines deepen—
Amid this flurry of regional ac- from the Indo-Pacific to Eastern Eu-
tivity, there has also been speculation rope—India is moving to ensure it is
neither isolated nor predictable. It is
about a possible revival of the Rus- engaging with the West where interests
sia-India-China (RIC) trilateral for- align but building strategic depth in the
mat. The RIC, conceived in the 1990s East where long-term influence lies.
as a Eurasian counterbalance to West- Adding to the geopolitical churn
ern blocs, has remained dormant in re- is the upcoming visit of U.S. President
cent years due to growing China-Rus- Donald Trump to India later this year
sia proximity and India’s rising friction for the Quad Summit—his first visit
with Beijing. since returning to office in 2025. While
While the Chinese Foreign Min-
istry said it “stands ready to maintain the summit underscores India’s con-
tinued commitment to the Indo-Pacif-
communication with Russia and In- ic and its alignment with democracies
dia on advancing the trilateral coop- like the U.S., Japan, and Australia, it
eration,” Indian officials were more also places New Delhi in a delicate
guarded. MEA spokesperson Randhir position. Trump is expected to press
Jaiswal noted, “There are currently no Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President Vladamir Putin during their meeting in Moscow for stronger military coordination and
discussions underway regarding the last December (ANI file photo) economic alignment within the Quad,
scheduling of such a dialogue.” How- but Indian officials remain cautious,
ever, he acknowledged that RIC re- recent political and policy friction has rorism and the lack of sustained U.S. keen to ensure that the forum does
mains a valid consultative mechanism cast a shadow over the relationship. pressure on Islamabad. not become overtly anti-China.
to discuss global and regional issues. The latest move by the Trump admin- As one official privately noted, At a time when India is re-en-
The ambiguity leaves the door istration to designate The Resistance “These actions are helpful, but they
open for future engagement—espe- Front (TRF)—a Lashkar-e-Taiba don’t change the security calculus on gaging with Beijing and reaffirming
ties with Russia, Trump’s arrival pres-
cially as India continues to hedge its bets proxy—as a Foreign Terrorist Orga- the ground. What India needs is con- ents both an opportunity and a test
amid growing East-West polarization. nization (FTO) and Specially Desig- sistent, actionable support.” of New Delhi’s balancing act. Indian
The India-Russia relationship nated Global Terrorist (SDGT) was
remains one of strategic depth—an- welcomed in India. TRF was respon- A DYNAMIC DOCTRINE diplomats are reportedly preparing
to present a vision of the Quad that
chored in defense, energy, and civil sible for the April 22 Pahalgam terror What emerges from this web focuses on connectivity, technology,
nuclear cooperation. The next In- attack that killed 26 people, mostly of engagements is a dynamic and and regional resilience—areas where
dia-Russia Annual Summit is set to tourists, and triggered a brief military adaptive Indian foreign policy—one strategic cooperation with the U.S.
be held in Delhi, with dates to be de- escalation. that is increasingly transactional, need not come at the cost of regional
cided soon. The last summit, held in External Affairs Minister Jaishan- multi-vector, and regionally anchored. diplomacy.
Moscow in July 2024, saw President kar hailed the decision as a “strong af- The days of fixed alliances are over.
Putin confer Russia’s highest civilian firmation” of India-U.S. counter-ter- New Delhi is charting its own course THE ROAD AHEAD
award—the Order of Saint Andrew rorism cooperation. However, many through careful calibration, choosing India’s foreign policy in 2025 is
the Apostle—on PM Modi, under- in South Block believe that mere des- issue-based partnerships and flexible marked by quiet assertiveness and
scoring the personal rapport between ignations—however symbolic—do not groupings over rigid ideological blocs. strategic agility. With China, it is mov-
the two leaders. adequately address the root problem: India’s participation in the Quad ing cautiously toward engagement
Yet, the partnership faces new Pakistan’s support to cross-border ter- with the U.S., Japan, and Australia is
complications. India has been quiet- without ignoring unresolved tensions.
With Russia, it is reaffirming trust even
ly distressed by the revelations that while dealing with uncomfortable fall-
126 Indian nationals were lured into out. With the U.S., it is cooperating on
serving in the Russian Army amid the key issues like terrorism but resisting
Ukraine conflict. While 96 have re- overreach and conditionalities.
turned, 12 are confirmed dead and 16 The RIC format, though dor-
are still missing. India is now in constant mant, remains an option—particular-
contact with Moscow to secure the ly as India seeks to navigate a future
release of the remaining individuals. where multipolarity, not bipolarity,
Despite this troubling develop-
ment, Delhi continues to view Mos- will define global order. Whether this
balance holds will depend not just on
cow as a critical partner. The MEA’s India’s moves, but also on how the
balanced tone suggests that the gov- U.S., China, and Russia evolve their
ernment is keen to resolve the human- own roles in this contested century.
itarian issue without letting it derail In an increasingly volatile world,
the broader strategic engagement.
India’s goal is not to choose sides, but
COOPERATION AMID to remain a side of its own. As Foreign
Minister Jaishankar once said, “In a
CONSTRAINTS Prime Minister Narendra Modi walks along with US President Donald Trump at the White world of all against all, India must be
While India and the U.S. share House, in Washington, DC during their last meeting in February (ANI file photo) for itself.” That doctrine is now being
robust defense and technology ties, put to the test.

www.TheIndianEYE.com