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India's Relations with Major Powers
3.1 India-United States
Evolution of the Relationship
- Cold War: US tilted toward Pakistan (SEATO/CENTO); Nixon sent USS Enterprise to Bay of Bengal during 1971 war
- Post-1991: Gradual normalisation; 1998 Pokhran tests led to sanctions (lifted after 9/11)
- Post-2001: Strategic convergence — shared concerns about terrorism and China's rise
- 2005 NSSP → 2008 Civil Nuclear Agreement — US accepted India as de facto nuclear power outside NPT
- 2023 iCET: Semiconductor (Micron $2.75 billion fab in Gujarat), AI, quantum, space, advanced telecom
Key Defence Agreements
| Agreement | Year | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement) | 2002 | Protected classified military information exchange |
| LSA (Logistics Support Agreement) | 2016 | Military logistics support at each other's bases |
| COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) | 2018 | Encrypted communications on US-origin defence equipment |
| BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) | 2020 | Geospatial intelligence sharing |
| Civil Nuclear Agreement | 2008 | US-India nuclear cooperation; waiver at NSG |
Current State (2024–25)
- India-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership operative
- PM Modi's June 2023 state visit: GE engines for LCA Tejas, Micron semiconductor investment, PM MITRA textile scheme, space exploration partnership
3.2 India-Russia
Historical Foundation
- India-USSR Friendship Treaty (1971) — crucial during Bangladesh liberation war
- Russia inherited all Soviet obligations and bilateral assets
Current Relationship
- Bilateral trade surged from $11 billion (2021–22) to $65 billion (2023–24) — India imports Russian crude at discounted prices post-Ukraine War
- India is Russia's 4th largest oil customer (from near-zero in 2021 to 1.5 million barrels/day by 2024)
- Defence dependence: S-400 (air defence), T-90 tanks, INS Vikramaditya, Su-30 MKI, BrahMos missile (joint venture; $3+ billion export orders)
- Russia's post-Ukraine isolation makes India more strategically valuable; India walks a tightrope between Russia and the Western alliance
- Both are members of SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation); India joined as full member in 2017
3.3 India-China
Overview
India and China share a 3,488 km border (Line of Actual Control — LAC). Relations oscillate between cooperation and confrontation.
Key Flashpoints
- 1962 Sino-Indian War — China occupied Aksai Chin; Nehru's "forward policy" failed
- Doklam standoff (2017) — 73-day standoff over Bhutan-China border construction near India's Siliguri Corridor
- Galwan Valley clash (15 June 2020) — 20 Indian soldiers + estimated Chinese casualties; India banned 200+ apps (TikTok etc.); FDI screening from China tightened
- October 2024: Patrolling agreement at 4 friction points (Depsang Plains, Demchok, Gogra-Hotsprings, Galwan) — partial normalisation
- PM Modi–Xi Jinping bilateral at BRICS Kazan (October 2024) — first formal meeting in 5 years
Economic Dimension
- Bilateral trade: $136 billion (2023) — India has a $85 billion trade deficit with China
- Indian pharma imports Chinese APIs; China embedded in India's electronics supply chain
India's China Strategy
- Diversification: PLI schemes to reduce supply chain dependence
- Indo-Pacific partnerships: QUAD, alignment with AUKUS without membership
- Dual track: Maintain LAC vigilance while keeping diplomatic dialogue open
3.4 India-European Union
India-EU Strategic Partnership was relaunched at the Porto Leaders' Meeting (May 2021). India-EU FTA negotiations resumed in 2022 after a decade-long stall.
Key metrics:
- EU is India's 3rd largest trading partner (goods + services): $130+ billion (2023)
- India-EU Connectivity Partnership (2021): covers digital, energy, and transport infrastructure
- France is India's largest European defence partner — Rafale jets (36 acquired; 26 naval Rafale in progress); Scorpène submarines; France strongly supports India's permanent UNSC seat
3.5 India-Japan
- Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership (2014)
- Japan is India's top development lender — JICA finances the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (bullet train)
- Defence co-production: submarine technology transfer discussions; defence equipment agreements
- Both are QUAD members; Japan's "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)" strategy aligns with India's Act East