Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to face a tough diplomatic test as India hosts the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to attend, while India wants to protect its ties with the United States and Europe. PM Modi must keep relations with all sides working without allowing any country to dictate India’s choices.
India is hosting the BRICS Summit as tensions between major powers remain high. China, Russia and the United States have different interests, but India has important ties with all three. New Delhi wants BRICS to focus on practical issues such as energy, food, trade, investment and economic growth. PM Modi also wants to show that India can work with countries that do not always agree. India and China have faced serious tensions along their border for years.
The military standoff that began in 2020 made relations more difficult.
That means working with Russia on defence and energy, engaging China through BRICS and strengthening economic and security ties with the US and Europe. India also wants BRICS to address issues that matter to developing countries, including energy prices, food supplies, trade and technology. For PM Modi, the goal is clear. India wants to work with all major powers while putting its own national interests first.
Xi Jinping’s expected visit to New Delhi could give PM Modi a chance to keep talks with Beijing open. India wants a stable border so it can focus more on economic growth, infrastructure and jobs. Better relations with China, however, do not mean India will ignore its security concerns. Russia has been a close Indian partner for decades. The two countries have strong ties in defence, energy, space and fertilisers. Russian crude oil is also important for India’s energy needs. It has helped Indian refiners secure supplies at competitive prices. India also relies on Russian-made defence equipment, making Moscow an important security partner. Despite pressure from Western countries over trade with Russia, India has continued to say that its energy and security decisions are based on national interests. India also needs strong ties with the United States and Europe. These countries are important markets for Indian goods and services and major sources of investment and jobs. India’s approach is to work with each country where it sees a benefit. India does not want to join a power bloc controlled by another country. It wants to make its own foreign policy decisions.
New Delhi therefore does not want its ties with Russia or China to damage its relationship with Western countries.
