“ India needs a major foreign policy shift”

Both India and China celebrated 2025 as the year of 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.Looking back,China’s foreign minister had  suggested at a press conference in Beijing  that the “dragon and the elephant should dance together and that the ballet would be the only right choice for both India and China”. Do these not signal China’s desire to improve relations with India?

Catching these signals, the BJP had recently extended a red carpet welcome to China's communist party at BJP Hq in Delhi.Was it not justified?

No doubt,holding a contrarian view, some experts do believe that China could never be trusted.But,what about Trump’s tariff war? How could the US force India to import arms ,crude oil, agricultural /dairy,fisheries  and genetically modified products from it .This will adversely impact indian farmers and fishermen.

How could India ignore its national interests in the fast changing dynamics of international geopolitics?Did any country foresee the standoff between the US and eight european countries over former’s insistence on annexing Greenland?

Both,Russia and China are  already suspicious about Pakistan’s growing proximity with the US.

All things considered,under such geopolitical compulsions,India needs to play its card carefully by strengthening the BRICS for creating a new currency for trade, despite US’s opposition to it, calling it a step towards “ de-dollarisation”.

China has border issues with all its neighbours.India must address these issues firmly and cautiously in the new world order.China is also expected to shun its claims on Aksaichin,Arunachal Pradesh and the latest Shaksgam valley as its territories. Shaksgam valley  was illegally ceded by Pakistan to China

India should put its best foot forward in the emerging multi-polar world order and continue as member of the QUAD.

And finally,India must also support Russia’s proposal of forming the Russia-India-China troika (RIC troika) as a trilateral grouping to counter western dominance.

There seems to be no other option for it in the present chaotic and confused situation.

A K Saxena (Former civil servant)