Context: A westward shift in India’s foreign policy appear misplaced as engagement with Russia and China does matter for various interests. 
In June, India decided to attend a virtual meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Russia, India and China (RIC). 

• This decision of India garnered the attention of several experts and world leaders. 
• As the tensions on the Line of Actual Control continues, the dominant calls were for a more decisive westward shift in India’s foreign policy and a  RIC meeting seemed incongruous in the present scenario.

Key highlights of the meeting

• The statements of leaders of three nations at the meeting reflected their divergent preoccupations. 
• China called for opposing bullying practices, rejecting power politics and supporting the rule of law in international relations.
• Russia criticised unilateral coercive measures to settle scores with geopolitical rivals and topple regimes. 
• India emphasised that for durable world order, major powers should respect international law and recognise the legitimate interest of partners.

Evolution of relations among India-Russia- China

• Initial Years: In the early 2000s, the three countries were positioning themselves for a transition from a unipolar to a multipolar world order.
• Anti-US versus Non-west construct: It was not an anti-U.S. construct. The RIC shared some non-West perspectives on the global order, such as an emphasis on sovereignty and territorial integrity, impatience with homilies on social policies and opposition to regime change from abroad agenda.
• Bilateral Relation: The advent of President Vladimir Putin reinforced the political, defense and energy pillars of the India-Russia strategic partnership.
• With China, the 2003 decision to bring a political approach to the boundary dispute and to develop other cooperation encouraged a multi-sectoral surge in relations.

Key irritants in India-Russia- China Relation
India –USA Relation

• India-USA: Enhanced Relation – India’s relations with the U.S. surged after 2002, and it encompasses trade and investment, a landmark civil nuclear deal and a burgeoning defense relationship.
• India-China: Deteriorated ties – With India’ closeness to USA, China went back on the 2005 agreement, launched the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, worked to undermine India’s influence in its neighborhood and expanded its military and economic presence in the Indian Ocean.
• India-Russia: Troubled ties– As India-U.S. collaboration widened  and U.S.-Russia relations imploded in 2014 (after the annexation/accession of Crimea), Russia’s pushback against the U.S. included cultivating the Taliban in Afghanistan and enlisting Pakistan’s support for it was not taken well by India.

Balance of Power in Indo-Pacific

• Chinese perspective: China sees our Indo-Pacific initiatives as part of a U.S.-led policy of containing China.
• Russian perspective: Russia’s sees the Indo-Pacific as an American ploy to draw India and Japan into a military alliance against China and Russia.

Importance of RIC
In the Context Of SCO-

• India is in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which is driven by Russia and China and includes four Central Asian countries. 
• Pakistan’s membership of SCO and the potential admission of Iran and Afghanistan heighten the significance of the SCO for India.
• It is important for India to shape the Russia-China dynamics in this region, to the extent possible.
• The Central Asian countries have signalled they would welcome such a dilution of the Russia-China duopoly.
• The ongoing India-Iran-Russia project for a sea/road/rail link from western India through Iran to Afghanistan and Central Asia is an important initiative for achieving an effective Indian presence in Central Asia, alongside Russia and China.

In the Context of Bilateral Rations

• The bilateral arms of the India-Russia-China triangle will also remain important and the defence and energy pillars of India’s partnership with Russia remain strong.
• Access to Russia’s abundant natural resources can enhance the security of our materials — the importance of which has been highlighted by COVID-19. 
• With China, India needs to work bilaterally and multilaterally on a range of issues, even while firmly protecting our interests on the border, in technology and the economy.

In the Context of The Indo-Pacific issue

• For India, it is a geographic space of economic and security importance, in which a cooperative order should prevent the dominance of any external power.
• China sees India’s Indo-Pacific initiatives as part of a U.S.-led policy of containing China and Russia sees the Indo-Pacific as an American ploy to draw India and Japan into a military alliance against China and Russia.
• India must focus on economic links with the Russian Far East and the activation of a Chennai-Vladivostok maritime corridor which may help persuade Russia that its interests in the Pacific are compatible with our interest in diluting Chinese dominance in the Indo-Pacific.

In the Context of India’s Autonomy

• The current India-China stand-off has intensified calls for India to fast-track partnership with the U.S. and is an unexceptionable objective. 
• India’s quest for the autonomy of action is based on its geographical realities, historical legacies and global ambitions — not a residual Cold War mindset.
• National security cannot be fully outsourced. 

Road Ahead

• The current India-China stand-off has intensified calls for India to fast-track partnership with the U.S. This is an unexceptionable objective, but is not a silver bullet. National security cannot be fully outsourced. India’s quest for autonomy of action is based on its geographical realities, historical legacies and global ambitions — not a residual Cold War mindset.
• The RIC dynamics are sensitive to the configuration of the U.S.-Russia-China triangle. This configuration changed in 2008 due to the global economic crisis and again in 2014 due to Crimea’s accession to Russia.
• Presently, COVID-19 and China’s aggressive policies could trigger another change, which could be modulated by the outcome of the U.S. Presidential elections. The nature and impact of this change are, for now, remains unknown.