Background

The Ukraine conflict has sparked intense discussion and debate about India's choices and interests, both long- and short-term. Can it maintain partnerships with both Russia and the United States and its allies, in the context of growing competition with China? 

To discuss these and related questions, ORF America and ORF co-hosted their final closed-door, virtual discussion under Chatham House rules on India’s Ties with the West, Russia and China: Balancing Values and Interests. 

The participants lamented that India was not prepared well-enough for heightened geopolitical competition between Russia and the West since 2014. For this had serious implications for India’s defense preparedness and more substantial partnerships with Western countries. The discussants also examined the future scenarios of Russia’s power and position in the international system. Participants agreed that India will need at least a decade to wean itself off Russian military dependence, whether in terms of diversification or indigenization. And while India will have to grapple with a closer Russia-China “no-limits” partnership, it also has greater potential to strengthen ties with the U.S., and other regional powers in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.   

Featuring

• Amb. Rakesh Sood, Distinguished Fellow Observer Research Foundation

• Dr. Nivedita Kapoor, Post-Doctoral Fellow National Research University Higher School of Economics Moscow

• Dr. Rajesh Rajagopalan, Professor Jawaharlal Nehru University

• Nandan Unnikrishnan, Distinguished Fellow Observer Research Foundation

To know more about the Democracy and Indian Foreign Policy series, check out ORF America’s Special Report No. 1 Democracy in Indian Foreign Policy.