IN THE changing global scenario, the revival of an old grouping of Russia-India-and- China (RIC) appears possible -- though not with complex internal challenges and hiccups. Of course, China has expressed its willingness to try the grouping whose idea has been initiated by Russia. For its part, India is cautious -- as has been its style of handling international relations -- stating that any revival of the RIC would hinge on conveniences of the three global power-houses. There should be no doubt, however, that the global scenario would change much and international power-balance would shift if such a grouping gets formatted again.

 

The Russians have felt that such a grouping should not be a difficult proposition since all the three countries are members of the current BRICS grouping that forms a major influence in the international realpolitik. That formation has served the common interests of the five members and have proved to be a balancer of international power equations to an extent. If the RIC gets revived, lots of common regional interests, too, would get served. India has had a great and long history of harmonious bilateral relations with Russia (which was Soviet Union earlier). This friendship has stood the test of time and tribulations of vexatious international situations. Whenever India ran into serious international road-blocks, Moscow has stood by New Delhi.

 

Similarly, whenever Russia ran into situations of international friction, New Delhi has proved to be an all-weather friend. The latest example of this is the situation of the extended Russia-Ukraine conflict that is testing international patience like never before. However, a similar situation does not exist between Russia and China and India and China. Even though Russia and China have ideological affinities, their mutual relations have been not without serious contradictions that involve even territorial issues. That is typical of China -- to have territorial issues with every of its neighbours -- which includes India as well. Beijing’s issues with Moscow and New Delhi, thus, are complex and would require a lot of realignments. If those issues are handled well, the revival of the RIC format may be possible in the near future. What will matter most is the levels to which India and China, and Russia and China are able to raise their diplomatic maturity tempered by their respective interests. In the past some time, India has demonstrated its full willingness to raise the level of its diplomatic maturity to accommodate China. On its part, China, too, appears to show a similar willingness, all right. Yet, it is necessary for a successful revival of the RIC format that the three nations worked the hardest to redefine their mutual priorities.

 

The basic requirement of multilateral diplomacy is that all parties to a situation must be willing to forego their smaller considerations of strictly mutual nature and work for larger goals and common interests. Though Beijing has expressed support to the idea of revival of the RIC format and India has expressed a cautious optimism, much work will have to be done to ensure that the coming together of the three global power-houses is possible. The biggest adjustment will have to be done by Beijing -- whose style of international engagement has a definite element of cantankerousness. Will Beijing be able to make appropriate amends ? Will Beijing be able to give up its traditional edginess about India and Russia ? On the surface, everything may appear all right. In the labyrinthine space of international diplomacy, however, things and situations are altogether different. If China is able to alter its self-centrism, then RIC can become a major influence on the global stage. Possibly, China appears to hold the key -- and not Russia or India.