A re-balancing of India’s great power relations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's participation in the sixth Quad Leaders’ Summit and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval's diplomatic efforts, including meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, highlight India's balancing act in a complex geopolitical landscape. As India navigates its relationships with both Western powers and traditional allies like Russia, the implications for its foreign policy and regional stability are significant.

Strategic Balancing

• Quad Cooperation: India's engagement in the Quad represents an effort to strengthen security collaboration among major maritime democracies, aimed at countering threats to a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.
• Bargaining with China: Doval's meetings with Putin and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signify India's commitment to resolving tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China while maintaining its strategic autonomy.
• Complex Diplomacy: India's security managers face the challenge of aligning its foreign policy to protect national interests amidst rising geopolitical tensions, particularly regarding its relations with Russia and the West.

Role of Mediator

• Peace Initiatives: Doval’s discussions, including India's peace plan for Ukraine, indicate New Delhi's aspiration to position itself as a global mediator, despite criticism from various quarters.
• Historical Relations: India's long-standing ties with Russia have historically provided military advantages, but Russia's pivot toward China complicates this relationship as New Delhi seeks to assert its strategic autonomy.
• Western Perceptions: India's independent stance in foreign policy, such as its purchase of Russian oil, has been viewed by the West with skepticism, emphasizing the normative costs of maintaining such relationships.

Russia-China Dynamics

• Deepening Ties: Russia's growing partnership with China poses challenges for India, particularly as China continues to support Pakistan and exacerbate security issues for India.
• Shift in Focus: As Russia prioritizes its relationship with China amidst global tensions, India's reliance on Moscow is diminishing, leading to a reevaluation of its strategic partnerships.
• Need for Rebalancing: India's diplomatic approach must now account for the Russia-China nexus, focusing on balancing its historical ties with Russia while enhancing relations with the U.S. and other partners.

Practice Question

Q. Discuss the implications of India’s strategic balancing between the Quad and its historical relationship with Russia amidst the evolving geopolitical landscape, particularly in relation to its stance on the Ukraine conflict and China. How should India navigate its foreign policy to enhance its strategic autonomy?