Amid growing efforts by Russia and China to revive the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral mechanism, Indian government sources have clarified that no meeting has been scheduled or agreed upon.
“No meeting of the RIC format has been agreed to at this point in time. There are no discussions underway on its scheduling,” a senior official stated.
At a weekly briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal remained non-committal:
“This is a mechanism where three countries come together to discuss global and regional issues. When the meeting happens, we will work out a mutually convenient date.”
The RIC format, initiated by former Russian PM Yevgeny Primakov, has held over 20 ministerial-level meetings in the past. However, it has remained dormant in recent years, especially following the 2020 India-China border tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In June, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed keen interest in reviving the RIC platform. Russia’s Deputy FM Andrei Rudenko recently reiterated that Moscow is negotiating with both Beijing and New Delhi, aiming to re-activate the format.
China has backed Russia’s push, stating that the trilateral group serves regional stability and global security. However, India’s growing involvement in Quad (with the US, Japan, and Australia) — perceived by Beijing as a counterweight to its influence — adds a layer of strategic complexity to the RIC dynamic.
As of now, India’s stance remains cautious, with no formal commitment to the RIC revival.
