The diplomatic dialogue among Russia, India, and China—collectively known as the Russia-India-China (RIC) troika—is showing signs of potential revival after a period of relative dormancy. Although no formal meetings have been scheduled and no summit is imminent, recent developments indicate renewed interest from all three parties in maintaining and possibly strengthening trilateral cooperation.

In 2025, Russia initiated efforts to rejuvenate the RIC format, with India responding that any such meeting would need to be arranged at a mutually convenient time. China expressed its willingness to sustain communication channels with both Russia and India to support trilateral collaboration. In June 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s commitment to independent relationships with Beijing and New Delhi. Chinese officials echoed this stance, emphasizing that strong relations among the three emerging powers promote regional and global stability.

The last RIC foreign ministers’ meeting occurred virtually in 2021, and there have been no formal leaders’ summits since the Group of 20 meeting in 2019. Nonetheless, informal encounters, such as those at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in 2025, reflect the continuing symbolic significance of the triangle on the international stage.

Despite ongoing tensions between China and India following their 2020 border confrontations and the evolving geopolitical landscape shaped by Russia’s strained relations with the West, the RIC format retains relevance. Analysts note that Asia’s complex landscape cannot be simplified into opposing camps. Instead, the region features overlapping spheres of multilateral engagement: a U.S.-led security framework including partnerships like the Quad and Aukus; a counterbalancing alignment through platforms such as BRICS and the SCO; and economic cooperation frameworks led by ASEAN, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

RIC, situated within the counteralignment layer alongside BRICS and the SCO, serves as a platform to address practical matters like energy security, critical minerals, transport infrastructure, and financial connectivity. India’s position enables the trio to indirectly engage with the U.S.-led security architecture while simultaneously participating in other multilateral forums, thus providing a nuanced dimension to the trilateral relationship.

For Russia, the RIC format facilitates multilateral engagement in Asia beyond its bilateral ties, allowing coordinated dialogue with both China and India. China sees it as a diplomatic channel to manage relations with India beyond border disputes and economic competition, highlighting shared interests such as energy markets and global governance reform. India values the format chiefly for preserving its strategic autonomy, insisting it should not be positioned as an anti-Western alliance or a counterweight to its involvement in the Quad.

Experts caution that the RIC grouping is unlikely to upend regional dynamics, resolve longstanding conflicts, or counterbalance U.S.-China rivalry comprehensively. Instead, its pragmatic utility lies in sustaining dialogue among Asia’s major powers, particularly on issues where interests intersect but trust remains limited. Potential areas for cooperation include energy, food and fertilizer supplies, critical minerals, public health, disaster response, counterterrorism, and regional stability concerning Afghanistan and Central Asia.

The format faces challenges; framing it as an anti-Western bloc or linking it to sanction evasion could undermine its credibility and viability. Escalating China-India tensions would also impede progress, as would overly rhetorical gestures without substantive cooperation. Nonetheless, proponents argue that dismissing RIC would overlook its role in mitigating bloc mentality in an increasingly divided Asia. If approached cautiously, RIC could contribute to managing rivalries and maintaining regional stability without being a definitive force for the continent’s future geopolitical architecture.