The trilateral talks involving the Foreign Ministers of India, Russia and China have triggered an “unreasonable hope” in a section of Indian media and some “over-enthusiastic” analysts, who are foreseeing “New Delhi getting into Moscow’s strategic plans”. Some even feel that Russian President Vladimir Putin may influence the Beijing leadership, for the closeness he boasts with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, asking the latter “to resolve the Ladakh stand-off and maintain status-quo on the Line of Actual Control,” in a way a “virtual” victory for New Delhi.
In reality, it’s too difficult a dream to get realized that easy. Undoubtedly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “multipolar diplomacy” has made significant advance globally and the nation stood firm with Russia and his “close friend” Putin, despite the threats of US sanctions on the purchase of S400 air defence system. India has purchased jets from Russia in the heat of its stand-off with China on the LAC and has just concluded this weekend its 11th joint naval exercise. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s recent visit to Moscow only expanded the scope of strengthening Delhi-Moscow strategic ties.
Having listed these positive indicators, Russia is still not playing so easy into the “Great Game of New Delhi” and it will never, given India’s growing closeness with Washington DC, which many see as a “strategic coincidence” to counter the common enemy—China. Second, Russia and China are deep in their relations for many “strategic reasons”, including their mutual security investments to “rule from the Pacific to the Atlantic waters”.Read more…
