Roundtable Conference: Ukraine - Russia war and its Geopolitical Fallouts
Usanas Foundation is organizing a roundtable conference on the issue of Ukraine - Russia war and its geopolitical fallouts on 1st March 2022
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With ongoing Russia - Ukraine crisis, there seems to be a major revamping of the global security architecture underway. Over the last decade, many events have taken place that have indicated a shift in the distribution of power in the international system. These include the COVID-19 pandemic, China’s increasingly assertive role on the global stage, and - in light of recent events - Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. Arguably, the vulnerability of NATO and Western powers stands exposed after the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan. In light of the United State’s decline as a superpower, will the Russian invasion of Ukraine be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, or will NATO be galvanized in response to the invasion? Does Putin have a broader vision of a new security architecture, with a new balance of power, in place of the seeming void left by Western powers? India’s stakes in this evolving geopolitical configuration is peculiar. So far, India has walked a fine line amidst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Prime Minister has called for diplomatic efforts for an “immediate cessation of violence.” However there has not been an open condemnation of Russia’s actions. Historically India has had warm ties with Russia, which is its primary defense supplier. But in the last two decades, strategic ties with the U.S have grown stronger, as evidenced by the recent QUAD dialogues. The relationship is complicated by America’s continuing support of Pakistan. Is India caught between Russia, an old ally, and the U.S, a more recent ally? And what security repercussions will choosing one side over another have on India countering China’s dominance?
