Russia has wanted strategic partners in Eurasia since the collapse of the Soviet Union, with India and China emerging as the strongest candidates. But while Russia has pursued cooperation with the two in both multilateral forums and in trilateral relations, the war in Ukraine has left Russia more isolated than ever — meaning Russia needs India and China for its geopolitical pursuits more than India or China needs Russia. The Institute for Security and Development Policy’s Jagannath Panda discusses how Russia has influenced China-India relations, the implications for U.S. foreign policy, and how the United States can navigate multilateral forums that include this trilateral strategic alignment.

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