Description
As India crosses the midway point of 2024 under Modi 3.0, the nation confronts the contrasting vistas of ambitious goals and mounting challenges. Amidst the multiple pressure points and compulsions of coalition governance, the vision of a ‘Viksit and Sashakt Bharat by 2047’ must transcend rhetoric to manifest in tangible outcomes, a daunting task requiring a unified national approach.
Prime Minister Modi’s recent visits to Moscow and Vienna were aimed at signalling India’s strategic independence from Western influence. Notably, this marked the first visit to Austria by an Indian Prime Minister in four decades. However, the once-perceived stability of India-Russia relations has given way to stagnation, characterised by underdeveloped economic ties and divergent geopolitical visions. On the surface, India’s neutrality might appear to have strengthened bilateral ties with Moscow, evidenced by record-high trade turnover and significant Indian imports of Russian hydrocarbons. Political dialogue, although devoid of high-profile summitry, continues steadily with regular interactions.
