This issue of Policy Watch presents a digest of articles examining India’s evolving foreign relations within the multilateral context of G-20, BRICS, and the QUAD, especially amid current global tensions like the Ukraine war and the India-China border conflict. Curated by RGICS Senior Visiting Fellow Prof. Somnath Ghosh, the collection opens with an article by Prof. Chaulia, who analyzes the continued cooperation between India, China, and Russia in the RIC format despite recent military clashes. He suggests that BRICS remains a valuable multilateral platform for both India and China, helping manage tensions and promoting moderated behavior.
The second and third articles explore global power dynamics in the G-20, particularly China’s rise relative to the US. The Russian-authored piece argues that while China has grown significantly in global influence since 2009, the US still leads in many domains. It also highlights China’s current limitations in replacing the US in leadership quality. The Chinese-authored article discusses China’s strategic shift in G-20 from crisis management to long-term global cooperation, driven by initiatives like the Belt and Road. However, it notes resistance to China’s leadership due to geopolitical, economic, and ideological factors.
The fourth article, by Thornton and Thornton, evaluates India’s participation in the QUAD as a counter to China. It warns that India’s domestic politics may clash with the liberal democratic norms of its QUAD partners.
The issue concludes by acknowledging the sources of these articles, noting that only abstracts are provided due to subscription limitations, with some translations appended for accessibility.
Policy Watch: India's Place in the World – May 2022
Send download link to:
