The Sino-Russian Entente: Implications for India’s Great Power Relations

An Expanding Partnership

The 43rd meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing last week underlines the growing convergence of strategic interests between two of the world’s longest-serving leaders. The expansive agenda outlined by the two leaders demands that Delhi carefully recalibrates its own great power relations and formulates an appropriate response.

Deepening Ties and Shared Perspectives

Since Putin took charge of Russia in 2000, he has made efforts to boost ties with China, even as he explored engagement with the West. At the turn of the 2000s, a rising China celebrated its ties with the United States and Europe but found it useful to develop strong ties with Russia as well. Since his ascent to power in Beijing, Xi Jinping has challenged U.S. influence in Asia and strengthened the partnership with Russia.

As their differences with the U.S. grew over the last decade, both Putin and Xi have elevated their bilateral collaboration to a comprehensive strategic partnership. On the eve of his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin traveled to Beijing to proclaim a deep alliance.Converging WorldviewsSince then, Putin and Xi have demonstrated their ability to put aside divergences in building a partnership rooted in their shared perspectives on the global order. The latest summit highlighted their efforts at political coordination and mutual support on key issues – Ukraine for Russia and Taiwan for China.

Putin and Xi voiced concerns over U.S. interventions and initiatives like the Quad. They underlined their commitment to a “multipolar world” and countering American dominance in international finance.Defying PressuresIf America has been urging China to limit cooperation with Russia, Xi’s warm embrace of Putin signaled the depth of the Sino-Russian partnership, defying Western pressures.

Delhi’s Calculations

Delhi, like some Western capitals, had expected Moscow and Beijing would have limits to their collaboration. Delhi had hoped that Putin would factor in India’s concerns vis-à-vis China. The evolving dynamics call for Delhi to reassess its assumptions.Implications for IndiaMoscow is now more reliant on Beijing, especially after straining ties with the West over Ukraine.

China is the senior partner in this relationship. Delhi will be closely watching the implications of Putin’s support for China’s positions in the Indo-Pacific, and how it may impact India’s efforts for a “multipolar Asia” and its own security dynamics with China. As the Sino-Russian partnership expands, India must carefully navigate this changing geopolitical landscape and calibrate its great power relations to safeguard its strategic interests in the region and beyond.