The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, that was launched in 2017 and became dormant, is moving toward resurrection. The complex restructuring of international relations and the arrival of Cold War 2.0 between Eurasian sovereignists and Atlantic integrationists has shifted to the Indo-Pacific region.
New Delhi’s history of uneasy relations with Beijing, coupled with the sweeping and consolidating emergence of the pro-Western Hindutva Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has spurred the rebirth of the Quad concept, which links India with Japan, Australia, and the US.
The Quad project is aimed at deterring the rising influence of Beijing and Moscow in the Indo-Pacific theater. The counterbalancing act of Moscow and Beijing is challenging Washington’s hegemony in the region.
Since the polarizing rise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s foreign policy marked a shift from its Nehru-styled non-aligned status. New Delhi’s signing of a Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) with Washington ensured that India’s strategic relationship with Russia became largely ceremonial.
India opts for Western arms over Russian
Russia now has to face stiff competition from Western arms makers in India, which was once a star destination for Russian armaments. The joint Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft project between India and Russia was officially called off after India opted for Nato-grade combat aviation in the form of the Rafale, the French multi-role fighter aircraft.
India wants to start a joint fighter-jet manufacturing program on tested Western platforms such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon or the F/A-18 Hornet, through the country’s multinational industrial conglomerates Reliance and Tata.
The defense cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow will be jolted again by CAATSA, the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. India-Russia defense trade hit hurdles after payments worth US$2 billion got stuck because of US sanctions. After signing the LEMOA deal, India concluded a similar defense pact with France, another member of Nato in March. That clearly signifies India’s desire to embrace the West.
The meltdown of the India-Russia defense partnership was expedited by certain actions in India.
The meltdown of the India-Russia defense partnership was expedited by certain actions in India, such as the US Navy gaining access to India’s Russian-made submarine which compromises Russia’s military technology.
India’s alliance with Russia was again put under scrutiny when India joined Western countries to condemn the Skripal poisoning case in England, even before there was conclusive proof of Russia’s involvement. Making the scenario more interesting, Pakistan voted in favor of Moscow’s proposal on the Skripal case to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, while India abstained.
While India grows closer to its newfound Western allies, it’s becoming isolated in its own backyard. Its smaller neighbors are turning away from New Delhi and looking toward Beijing.
Ignoring Indian concerns, Sri Lanka allowed China to take operational control of the strategic port of Hambantota. The Maldives government called on India not to intervene while the country was going through a political crisis. Nepal looks to China in order to restrain India. In Bangladesh, a pro-Indian government is in charge, but the population sees India with contempt. And the ongoing regional rivalry with Pakistan has intensified.
India’s tactics causing regional anxieties
By employing coercive tactics, unpredictable policies and domineering attitudes toward its smaller neighbors, India has turned the subcontinent into hostile territory. Public sentiment is anxious about India, which has a tradition of intervention in the region. China, on the other hand, enjoys a reputation for non-intervention, and public sentiment is largely pro-China because of the contrasting and alluring alternatives that it offers.
Every step that New Delhi considers in order to influence the policy of a neighbor is watched closely, which causes further alienation and opens easy avenues for China to step in with its business.
While India was making new friends in the West, arch-rival Pakistan took a different route. Islamabad is not getting along with the current American administration, but that hasn’t inhibited it from going ahead with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. CPEC prompted Indian policymakers to oppose China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative and its close connection with Pakistan. Meanwhile, India has taken up so-called hybrid warfare in Afghanistan to undermine Pakistan’s ambitions. While doing so India gained one ally — the US — but lost another — Russia.
India’s gambit has pushed Pakistan to the verge of a strategic partnership with Russia. The two former Cold War rivals have discovered common ground in their former battlegrounds in Afghanistan, discussing arms deals and economic cooperation.
A Moscow-Beijing-Islamabad partnership?
If the strategic cooperation between Moscow and Islamabad gains a foothold, it will result in a groundbreaking Moscow-Beijing-Islamabad tripartite partnership, which will further complicate India’s precarious role in the region.
India’s rapprochement with the West has complicated its alliance with Russia at a time when Russia and China are together facing a new cold war with Atlantic integrationists. India’s entry to the Quad would be advantageous for the Atlantic integrationists, but disadvantageous for India. India’s outlook has huge differences from the other three Quad partners and risks becoming a geopolitical punching bag in a clash between East and West.
With elections looming early next year, New Delhi has to look upon the undelivered pledges made before 2014 and face rising discontent among the religious communities and provincial disparities. Meanwhile, unable to face the financial strain, Washington has started to delegate the task of policing its rivals to its allies.
The current unipolar world order with the US as the leading power is forcing India to face an unstoppable economic powerhouse in China. Beijing, an ally of Russia and Pakistan, is gaining a foothold among India’s smaller neighbors, which view India with hostility. The dynamics of India and its Quad partners are not the same.
Unlike the other three countries, India battles insurgency, has active border disputes with China and must tackle domestic economic inequality. It lags behind in various key indices of human development, faring worse than its smaller neighbors.
New Delhi must fix its own house before joining geopolitical power plays on behalf of the US, a declining superpower. When the world’s economic influence is shifting toward Asia, India cannot sustain confrontation; rather it needs cooperation. India needs to choose between its neighbors and new “friends.” Friends change, neighbors don’t.
Osmâñ Sîddïq u made my day lol
This is a joke. It’s a fear mongering article to generate passions between these countries by interested parties. Please check the background of this journalist. It’s a joke
This article doesn’t speak the truth about Indian domestic policies.Chinese have a doctored economy, strictly controlled exchange value, heavy subsidy on exports and no freedom at all. Their economic bubble will burst sooner or later to wreak havoc.Chinese are dependent on the US and the west for trade.Chinese are buying India’s poor small neighbouring countries with loans with high interest and unequal terms which will be a definite economic disaster to those countries.The same goes for hambantota port where srilankan government was forced to part with controlling stake to Chinese when it defaulted payment of loans. CPEC is already bringing problems to PAK as Chinese are employing only their people to build and not the local populace.
Prithvi Di , We like india. But those facts illustrated in this writing regarding Delhi’ s present foreign policy view with its neighbor’s is an unfortunate fact . So far USA is raising India to policing in this region on it’s behalf.
Russian weapon is inferior to western,we are paying ready cash not barter system.we have the right to go for the best system.that’s what the BJP is doing
Very nice article.india has always been on the wrong side.be it cold war or now,
India has to face it’s neighbours and region including Russia day in and day out and allainces of other countries with US have always proven to be one sided.
India in long term should rethink it’s policy as now is the time for non allignment and US has become defeated power.
We must realize that china’s advesaries are it’s biggest trading partners. China cannot risk annoying them because countries like Pakistan and North Korea can’t become it’s market.
Thats the reason u faced in 1947, 1965,1971,1999and indian forces r going inside pok to kill some breast feeded virgins holy shits of pak army and govt
Qian Deng china is a member of UN bcz India referred chinas name by declining itself. We have the largest market for chinese products and goods once we stop buying those ur condition will be worth watching.u lyk copying others technology u jst give them names and the products have no market value and we call them as chinese junks atleast we dont have the image of copy cats.90%of population might not have heard the word democracy.Engulping other countries land is only what u know..
Prithvi Di ri8 said sie
Poor research and biased
None have allowed india. Interest to flourish
Russia executed western agenda in taskand …
Afghanistan and Cuba as well
As soon as it become Non profitable it ditched both
Muslim’s mind never work on the subject like geopolitics , strategic and tactical issues .eat meat and do jihad.
Very Good Article, Indian Army is very poor skills, beside good against unarmed and innocent people. There home grown / local weapons industries sucks too. There 60% of air Force is outdated in term of technology, pay load and fuel efficiency.
Khaleed ibn has immaturity in his views his editorial clearly show his anti INDIA views INDIA and RUSSIA still trusted partners not like terrorist country pakistan and international thief china . Even tho INDIA moving closely with western powers INDIA always with Russia still Russia and INDIA working in many project’s and RUSSIA still India’s most trusted allie . INDIA moving closely with western powers because of development an to control chains aggressive unethical practices in the region and RUSSIA to know that fact so stop day dreaming of rivalry between Russia and INDIA. First Pakistan try not to beg for food and money and weapons to other countries and stop exporting terrorism and stop create terrorists in Pakistan soil .
Typical Pak stooge of China expressing his delusions.
Qian Deng lol controlled iq of china ?
I began reading the article.by the halfway mark I could easily guess the author has to be a muzzie.lol.
think fair enough to compare Bangladesh and Pakistan as both countrys economy population are almost same………………and both are losser in Sports (Pakistan+Bangladesh)combined medal in this year Commonwealth games (5+2)=7 is 9 times less than India,(despite this two countrys combined population is 3rd largest in world Interesting fact is that Indian table tennis player manika batra stand induvudduly inhigher than both bangladesh and pakistan in medla tally lamo @https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Commonwealth_Games_medal_table
India as a country or civilisation is longest running entity in human histroy. It was unified by Emperor Ashoka and his empire also included some provinces of current China. This unification was before 20 years unification in Qi dynasty of China. Without anyone knowing history, no one can comment clearly. The book of Arthshastra that contains rules if diplomancy was written by Chanakya 2300 years back. SO does India lessons on diplomacy. India is a friend with US, Russia and China at the same time. However US due to democracy is natural partner of India. Japan having helped India a lot is another such a partner. We have large Muslim population , and we are even friends with Iran and Saudia Arabia. So do we need lessons from a novice author….. Keep writing hate articles.
On another note the diplomacy is backed by hard power. No country in the wpord can cause harm to India without sustaining tremendous cost themselves. Since the posture is defensive, we do not threaten anyone like many countries in our neighbourhood do regularly. India can control Indian ocean where 50-70% of trade passes , and disrupt trade routes. SO any country will have to be careful. INdians cannot be threatened but soft power of India is that Indians will also ensure through internal democratic power, not to threaten anyone.
Ken Nguyen Imports from China account for less than 2.38% of US’s $19.390 Trillion GDP – but this does not change the fact that the US’s largest trade is carried out with China and China’s trade defecit is not a product of Chinese competitiveness but Chinese currency fixing and illegal economic controls and barriers that prevent and discourage free trade despite being a member of the WTO. Such criminal behavior cannot be allowed to go on unpunished and unchallegened indefenitely – the USA is not afraid to suffer losses and disruptions if China continues its illegal behavior .