China on Thursday advocated for the revival of the dormant Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral cooperation. Initially, it was Russia that took the initiative, which Beijing has supported. China stated that this cooperation is not only in the interest of all three countries but also essential for the security and stability of the region and the world.
Supporting Russia’s Initiative
The Russian news portal Izvestia on Thursday quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko, expressing Moscow's hope for the renewal of the RIC format, and is in dialogue with Beijing and New Delhi on this issue. Rudenko stated, "This topic is part of our discussions with both countries. We are interested in making this format successful, as alongside being BRICS founders, these three countries are crucial partners."
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Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized, "In my opinion, the absence of this format seems inappropriate. We hope nations will agree to resume work within the RIC framework. Indeed, once the relations between these states reach a level allowing trilateral cooperation, it will progress forward."
Essential for Global Peace and Progress
Reacting to Rudenko’s statement at a media briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, "China-Russia-India cooperation not only fulfills the related interests of all three countries but also aids in maintaining peace, security, stability, and progress regionally and worldwide." He added that China is ready to keep dialogues with Russia and India to advance trilateral cooperation.
Russia's and China's interest in RIC's revival has grown post Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar visited China for the SCO Foreign Ministers' meeting. During this trip, he engaged in discussions with top Chinese officials, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
India-China Standoff Pauses Cooperation
Lavrov noted last year that joint work in the RIC format ceased due to the coronavirus pandemic followed by the 2020 India-China military standoff in Eastern Ladakh.
Due to the Ladakh standoff, India-China relations have been on hold for more than four years. However, the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at last year’s BRICS Summit in Kazan energized bilateral relations. Continuous dialogue aims to restore cordial relations between the two countries.
Efforts to Mend Relations
Foreign Minister Jaishankar's recent visit follows trips by NSA Ajit Doval and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh to China. In May, Lavrov emphasized that Russia, with strong ties to both India and China, is genuinely interested in reviving the RIC format.
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Under the trilateral arrangement started by Russia’s former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, 20 meetings between the nations occurred at varying levels. These three countries played pivotal roles in forming BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and its New Development Bank (NDB), now with 10 members.
What Concerns Beijing?
Rising rivalry between India and China, alongside Beijing's unwavering support for its evergreen ally Pakistan in anti-India activities, has diminished RIC's relevance and importance in recent discussions.
Recently, Russia and China's interest in RIC has risen as India became part of the Quad—a nascent alliance comprising the US, India, Japan, and Australia. Beijing perceives this group as formed to curb its influence.
Collaboration Vital for Russia Too
According to Russian analysts, Moscow is concerned about emerging relations between India and the European Union amidst ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Russian researcher Lydia Kulik believes that any collaborative format in Eurasia is effective as the continent is weary of endless conflicts.
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For India, historically, the relationship with Russia has been pivotal, given the challenges between New Delhi and Beijing. Lydia told Izvestia that Moscow's participation fosters collaboration opportunities within the RIC format.
