The Eastern Pivot: India-Russia Maritime Synergy in the Indo-Pacific

Abstract

In current geopolitics, when the gravity of international relations is shifting towards the naval, the impact of such drastic changes transforms the India-Russia relationship. This article explores the concept of the Eastern Pivot,” which moves the India-Russia partnership from a land-based defense liaison to maritime synergy in the Indo-Pacific. This study focuses on three main pillars: Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor, the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) agreement, and India-Russia cooperation in Arctic energy transport corridor. This paper analyzes the synergy that allows India to bypass traditional chokepoints while providing Russia with a legitimate role as a persistent power in the Indo-Pacific. Ultimately, this article asserts a necessary pole of power, enabling India to maintain strategic autonomy amidst deepening US-China bipolarity.