India should create bubbles of trust with its geopolitical allies

A few months ago, this column had argued that the tech war between the United States and China is being fought across a flexible, porous bamboo curtain, and India’s interests lie in staying out of the Sinosphere while creating circles or bubbles of trust “with the US, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Singapore and South Korea that will help Indian companies, professionals and consumers find themselves in circles of opportunity." Even if political changes around the world rekindle interest in multilateral approaches to world trade, technology and climate change, New Delhi must prioritise deepening relationships with its geopolitical allies (there, I said the word). Like air bubbles for international travel during the pandemic, first create bubbles of trust bilaterally with strategic partners and then explore whether these can coalesce into larger bubbles that include more countries.Read More