In a notable shift reflecting the evolving dynamics of global power, China has announced its support for reviving trilateral cooperation with Russia and India under the RIC (Russia-India-China) format. The declaration, made by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on July 17, signals renewed momentum behind the geopolitical construct first envisioned in the late 1990s as a counterbalance to Western hegemony.

“China-India-Russia cooperation not only serves the respective interests of the three countries, but also helps uphold peace and security and progress in the region and the world,” Lin said during a press briefing in Beijing. His comments followed closely after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko stated that Moscow is actively pursuing discussions with its two strategic partners to revive the RIC dialogue mechanism.

The RIC framework was originally proposed by Russian statesman and former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov in the aftermath of the Cold War, as part of a broader vision to challenge the unipolar dominance of the United States. It emphasized a multipolar world where major regional powers-Russia, India, and China-could coordinate on strategic issues to ensure a more balanced global order.

Although the RIC idea was partially subsumed into the broader BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) initiative, it continued to hold symbolic and strategic value. Over the past two decades, the foreign ministers of the three nations have met 18 times under the RIC umbrella. However, recent geopolitical frictions, particularly the military standoff between India and China in the Himalayan border region,........

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