INDIA is the most populous country in the world. With a nominal GDP of $4.15 trillion, it is the sixth-largest economy globally, with a big market share that makes countries want to do business with it. Its expansive territory extends down to the northern tip of the Indian Ocean. Despite this strategic weight, why is India losing proportionate relevance in today’s global geopolitics? Five reasons can be identified. Firstly, for decades, India was a partner of choice for the US in countering China’s rise. Imagining itself as the net security provider for South Asia, India joined the America-led Indo-Pacific Strategy, Quad, I2U2, and IMEC. Beijing sensed well in time that America was encircling China with the help of India, Japan and Australia. It could also see that America continued to stir trouble in the South China Sea and could well choke Chinese exports passing through the Pacific and Indian oceans. Pursuant to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Greater Eurasia partnership initiative, China is increasingly using three overland northern routes and one sea route through the Arctic Ocean. Adapting quickly, America decided to work with China for “constructive strategic stability”.
