India Non-Committal on Reviving Russia-India-China (RIC) Framework Amid Geopolitical Tensions

New Delhi: India on Thursday took a cautious stance regarding the revival of the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral dialogue, indicating that any resumption of the mechanism would depend on the mutual convenience of the three nations.

The statement from India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, came just hours after China publicly supported Russia’s proposal to revive the consultative forum, citing its benefits for regional security and stability.

“This consultative format is a mechanism where the three countries come and discuss global issues and regional issues of interest to them,” said Jaiswal during the weekly media briefing. “As to when this particular RIC format meeting is going to be held, it is something that will be worked out among the three countries in a mutually convenient manner,” he added.

No Meeting Scheduled Yet

While both Moscow and Beijing have voiced support for the RIC’s resumption, Indian official sources clarified that no meeting has been agreed upon as of now and no discussions are currently underway to schedule one.

The RIC dialogue — once a semi-regular trilateral consultation among the foreign ministers of the three nations — has remained inactive in recent years. The mechanism was initially paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and later due to the India-China military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Russia and China Push for Revival

Earlier in the day, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told Russian media that Moscow is actively engaged in discussions with both Beijing and New Delhi to revive the RIC format. “We are interested in making this format work, because these three countries are important partners, besides the founders of BRICS,” he said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian echoed similar sentiments in Beijing, stating: “China-Russia-India cooperation not only serves the respective interests of the three countries but also helps uphold peace, security, stability and progress in the region and the world.” He added that China is ready to maintain communication with Russia and India on advancing trilateral cooperation.

Strategic Implications

The RIC dialogue was once seen as a balancing counterweight to Western-dominated institutions and a platform to align common positions on issues such as multilateralism, terrorism, global governance, and regional stability. However, the India-China border tensions and divergent global alignments — particularly in the wake of Russia’s deepening ties with China amid its standoff with the West — have complicated the trilateral equation.

India’s non-committal response suggests a careful calibration of its foreign policy priorities, especially as it continues to manage sensitive bilateral dynamics with both Russia and China.

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