The Alaska Summit: Lessons for India’s Strategic Diplomacy

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Context:

The Alaska Moment between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin raised expectations for India regarding sanctions relief and trade, but the summit produced limited benefits for New Delhi.

India’s Hopes and U.S. Responses

Expectations from the Summit: India expected the U.S.-Russia rapprochement to ease American pressure on New Delhi’s relations with Moscow, particularly in oil imports and trade negotiations.
S. Sanctions Pressure: Instead of relief, the U.S. reiterated its plan for 25% secondary sanctions on Indian imports of Russian oil, along with maintaining 25% reciprocal tariffs on Indian exports.
Divergent Narratives on Operation Sindoor: President Trump claimed to have mediated the India-Pakistan ceasefire in May 2025, contradicting the Modi government’s narrative and further straining bilateral trust.

Structural Lessons for India’s Foreign Policy

Summitry vs. Substance: India’s over-reliance on leader-level diplomacy has yielded limited strategic gains, as seen in the contrast between high-profile summits and unresolved disputes with both the U.S. and China.
Institutional Weakness in Engagement: Decision-making under President Trump remains highly personalized, with few institutional channels available for India to negotiate effectively.
Need for Senior-Level U.S. Representation: The absence of a senior U.S. envoy with deep knowledge of India complicates navigation through turbulent phases of the bilateral relationship.

Strategic Course Correction for India

Bipartisan Engagement in U.S. Politics: India must reclaim bipartisan credibility in the U.S. by balancing ties with Republicans and Democrats, avoiding over-association with one political faction.
Upholding Strategic Autonomy: New Delhi’s past acceptance of unilateral U.S. sanctions (e.g., Iran, Venezuela) weakened its principles; resisting such pressures strengthens its credibility in the Global South.
Countermeasures Against Adverse Policies: India must explore reciprocal and calibrated responses to U.S. tariff barriers, remittance taxes, and trade restrictions to safeguard its economic and strategic interests.

Practice Question

“The Alaska Summit of 2025 has highlighted the fragility of India-U.S. ties under shifting global power dynamics. Critically analyse the lessons for India’s foreign policy in balancing strategic autonomy, economic interests, and great power relation (250 words)

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