When Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently called for the revival of the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral dialogue, it echoed a familiar, if somewhat outdated, diplomatic refrain. Labeling RIC as an “independent mechanism,” Lavrov argued that the moment is ripe for its reinvigoration — especially given the reported easing of India-China border tensions. On the surface, it sounded like a classic Eurasian initiative: three major powers coming together to balance global influence and reinforce multipolarity. But in substance, the call appears more symbolic than strategic, driven less by genuine trust and more by Moscow’s shifting compulsions.

Originally conceptualised in the late 1990s, RIC was born out of a common need among the three nations to counterbalance Western dominance and to claim space in global decision-making. At the time, the idea of a trilateral dialogue made sense — India, Russia, and China were navigating a unipolar world, seeking to shape a more balanced international order. However, over the past two decades, the geopolitical context has transformed significantly. The foundational logic behind RIC has weakened as each member has chosen distinct strategic paths.

India’s foreign policy has evolved through sustained engagements with a host of global actors — particularly the Indo-Pacific Quad (with the U.S., Japan, and Australia), France, and key Southeast Asian partners. These........

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