TEN CRITICAL QUESTIONS ON CURRENT GEOPLOITICAL AND NATIONAL ISSUES – 178

PRERNA FOR IAS

(ASSOCIATE OF SAMKALP)

TEN CRITICAL QUESTIONS ON CURRENT GEOPLOITICAL AND NATIONAL ISSUES – 178

1. Should India compromise its strategic autonomy to avoid U.S. sanctions over Russian oil?

Answer: India should protect strategic autonomy while remaining pragmatic. Energy policy cannot be separated from the needs of a large developing economy. India has to consider price, availability, supply security and geopolitical risk while purchasing crude oil. At the same time, the United States is an important economic and strategic partner, so confrontation would not serve India either. Recent U.S. legislation has increased the possibility of tariffs linked to Russian energy purchases, making this balance more difficult. (Reuters) My approach would be diversification rather than dependence—maintain multiple suppliers, expand renewable energy and domestic capacity, and use diplomacy to protect India's room for independent decision-making.

2. Are economic sanctions becoming a form of geopolitical coercion?

Answer: Sanctions are legitimate instruments of foreign policy, but their effectiveness depends on design and international support. Secondary sanctions are more controversial because they seek to influence not only the targeted country but also third countries trading with it. The Indian Express summary argues that such measures can disrupt energy markets and create diplomatic resistance. From India's perspective, the principle should be clear: we should respect international law while safeguarding our legitimate economic interests. Sanctions should ideally support diplomacy rather than substitute for it. Excessive economic coercion may also encourage countries to diversify payment systems and trading relationships. Therefore, dialogue, multilateralism and narrowly targeted measures are generally more sustainable than indiscriminate economic pressure.

3. How should India approach the present improvement in India-China relations?