India's Foreign Policy Challenges: Navigating US-Russia Dynamics
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains: General Studies Paper 2: India and its neighborhood- relations; Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests; Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests.
Key Highlights from the News
The "Alaska Summit" between US and Russian leaders did not yield the positive results India had hoped for.
New Delhi had hoped that a U.S.-Russia rapprochement would reduce US pressure on India regarding its relations with Russia.
The US plans to impose 25% secondary sanctions on India for buying Russian oil.
India-US trade talks are stalled, with both countries having imposed reciprocal tariffs on each other.
The article proposes five key lessons for Indian diplomacy:
US-Russia friendship may not change US policies towards India.
In diplomacy, substance over style should be prioritized, rather than personal chemistry between leaders or Summitry.
India should revive bipartisanship in diplomacy, establishing relations with both ruling and opposition parties in foreign countries.
India should adhere to its principle of strategic autonomy and not sacrifice it to please other countries. For example, only recognize UN-mandated sanctions.
India should develop its own countermeasures to deal with unilateral actions by countries like the US that harm India's interests.
COMMENTS