China buys more oil from Russia than India does. The new law applies to China as well. Indian officials and analysts are now watching the behaviour of the United States. Their question is whether the United States will put the same pressure on China that it is putting on India.
The question matters for India, because India has spent many years drawing closer to the United States. It did so as a strategy for countering China’s strength.
The BRICS summit was held in New Delhi at the end of last week. China’s leader Xi Jinping and Russia’s president Vladimir Putin joined India’s prime minister Narendra Modi there. The three leaders were photographed together. It was a clear display of cooperation among countries outside the West.
Fears and agreements
Among the large countries of BRICS, India has strong strategic reasons for deepening its relationship with the United States.
Professor C Raja Mohan of Jindal Global University said India is having to choose between two uncomfortable options. He added: “Do you want to jump out of the American frying pan into the Chinese fire?”
China’s strength is growing, so India has strong reasons for holding on to its relationship with the United States.
But the United States keeps changing its demands on energy and trade. That has raised a new question in New Delhi: even if a new understanding is reached with the United States, how long will it last?
On this, Ajay Srivastava said India should not make any agreement until United States policy becomes settled.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report