Push for Russia-India-China Revival

General Studies Paper-2

Context: Russia is actively pushing for the revival of the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral format, a strategic dialogue that has been largely dormant for nearly five years.

What is the RIC format?

• Initiated in the late 1990s by former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, the RIC format was conceived as a strategic counterweight to Western dominance.
• It facilitated over 20 ministerial-level meetings, promoting cooperation in foreign policy, economics, and security.
• The format lost momentum following the 2020 Galwan Valley incident, which significantly strained India-China relations.

Reasons for Russia’s Push to Revive RIC

• Easing India-China Tensions: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has explicitly stated that the time is ripe for RIC’s revival due to signs of de-escalation in India-China border tensions.
• Countering Western Influence: Russia views the increasing influence of Western alliances like NATO and the Quad (US, Japan, Australia, India) as a threat to regional stability.
• Strengthening Eurasian Security Architecture: Russia aims to promote a “single and equitable system of security and cooperation in Eurasia” through the revived RIC. This aligns with Moscow’s broader objective of establishing a multipolar world order and reducing reliance on Western-centric institutions.

Importance of Russia-India-China (RIC) Trilateral Format

• Geographic and Economic Scale:
  • The RIC countries collectively occupy over 19% of the global landmass & contribute to over 33% of global GDP.
  • All three nations are members of crucial international groupings such as BRICS, G20, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
• Promotion of Multilateralism and a Multipolar World Order:
  • RIC offers a significant non-Western voice on global issues.
  • Russia and China are permanent members of the UN Security Council, giving the RIC considerable diplomatic and strategic leverage on the international stage.
• Eurasian Integration and Connectivity:
  • The RIC format can complement and potentially accelerate major regional integration projects like International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) & Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), led by Russia.
  • It will enhance regional stability across Eurasia.

Challenges to the RIC Revival

• Lingering India-China Border Disputes: Despite recent diplomatic engagements, unresolved border issues between India and China remain a significant hurdle. A persistent trust deficit could impede the effectiveness of the RIC.
• India’s Strategic Alignments: India’s active participation in the Quad and its deepening ties with Western nations demonstrate its strategic balancing act. Navigating close alignment with both RIC and Western alliances could pose diplomatic complexities for India.
• Russia-China Dynamics: Russia’s growing closeness with China, especially in the wake of the Ukraine conflict, might raise concerns in India about the impartiality of the RIC platform and its potential to become unduly influenced by Beijing.