India non-committal on revival of Russia-India-China framework

New Delhi: India on Thursday indicated that any revival of the Russia-India-China (RIC) mechanism hinges on mutual convenience of the three countries.

New Delhi's comments came hours after the Chinese foreign ministry said Beijing supports Russia's initiative to revive the RIC mechanism as it not only serves the interest of the three countries but also helps uphold the security and stability of the region.

"This consultative format is a mechanism where the three countries come and discuss global issues and regional issues of interest to them," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing.

"As to when this particular RIC format meeting is going to be held, it is something that will be worked out among the three countries in a mutually convenient manner," he said responding to a question.

Official sources said no meeting of the RIC format has been agreed to at this point in time and there are no discussions underway on its scheduling.

Russian media quoted Russia's deputy foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko as saying on Thursday that Moscow expects the resumption of the RIC format and is discussing this issue with Beijing and New Delhi.

"This topic appears in our negotiations with both of them. We are interested in making this format work, because these three countries are important partners, besides the founders of BRICS," Rudenko said.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said: "China-Russia-India cooperation not only serves the respective interests of the three countries but also helps uphold peace, security, stability and progress in the region and the world." "China stands ready to maintain communication with Russia and India on advancing trilateral cooperation," he said.

Work under the RIC format was stalled, first because of the Covid pandemic and later by the India-China military standoff along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last year.

Under the RIC framework, the foreign ministers of the three countries used to meet periodically to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of their interest.