RIC Dialogue Revival Gains Traction Amid US Tariff Pressures

(MENAFN- The Arabian Post)

Russia has renewed efforts to revive the dormant Russia–India–China trilateral dialogue, prompting cautious signals from India and prompt endorsement from China. Moscow's deputy foreign minister, Andrei Rudenko, has confirmed active negotiations with Beijing and New Delhi around restarting consultations among the trio, all founding members of BRICS, to address global strategic concerns. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian framed the initiative as beneficial not only to the countries individually but to peace and stability in the region and beyond.

The push for RIC's reactivation is widely seen as a geopolitical response to mounting pressure from the US. President Trump has announced a sweeping 25% tariff on goods imported from India, effective from 1 August 2025, tied to concerns over India's continued trade with Russia in oil and arms. Additional penalties may include hefty secondary tariffs targeting countries purchasing Russian energy. Analysts suggest these measures aim to curb support for Moscow amid escalating tensions over the war in Ukraine.

India's government has responded with guarded openness, describing RIC as a consultative mechanism and confirming that any resumption would occur“in a mutually convenient manner.” There is, however, no set schedule yet for a trilateral meeting. Delhi continues to emphasise its policy of strategic autonomy, favouring existing multilateral platforms like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation over reinventing older groupings.

Diplomatic analysts highlight a delicate balance. While India may value the leverage offered by engaging with both Russia and China, unresolved security issues remain substantial hurdles. Ongoing infrastructure expansion by China along the Line of Actual Control, assertion of territorial claims, and its close support to Pakistan compound mistrust. India's top army chief has affirmed that troop deployment along the Himalayan boundary will remain unchanged unless de‐escalation yields concrete stability.

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Moscow and Beijing insist that cooler diplomatic winds have set the stage for RIC's revival. China's endorsement lends important legitimacy to Russia's proposition, given its substantial trading partnership and growing influence within Eurasian multilateral institutions. For Moscow, reactivating RIC represents a strategic way to counteract economic isolation and foster alternatives to Western-dominated forums.

India's interest in RIC appears to stem not from ideological alignment but a pragmatic reassessment of global alliances amid unpredictability from Washington. The sudden shift in US policy during the Trump presidency-from strategic ally‐ship to threatening tariffs and secondary sanctions-has prompted Delhi to seek diversified ties as a hedge.

Yet India remains impatient with the prospect of formalising a framework that it neither initiated nor fully trusts. Its preference is clear: preserve diplomatic flexibility, maintain strong bilateral ties with the US, and leverage broader coalitions like BRICS and SCO to engage Russia and China when strategically beneficial.

The trajectory of RIC revival will hinge on whether India perceives tangible value in a trilateral platform beyond existing multilateral frameworks. If border tensions ease and mutual interests in global governance strengthen, corridors for rebooting RIC may open. Otherwise, the format may serve more as diplomatic signalling than substantive partnership. Geopolitics at this level remains fluid, and small shifts in external pressure or strategic calculation could tip India's stance in one direction or the other.

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