India emerging as only viable ‘third pole’, says report

Rising geopolitical friction involving the United States, China and Russia is pushing Europe and Canada to accelerate economic and strategic engagement with India, positioning the country as “a viable third pole”, a new report has said.

The report from National Interest argued, “With the United States, China, and Russia creating a hostile world, Brussels and Canada have no choice but to deepen ties with India.”

“India offers scale without China’s level of geopolitical and normative baggage. It is not a substitute for the US security umbrella, nor a replica of China’s manufacturing ecosystem, but it represents a viable third pole in an increasingly fragmented global economy,” the report said.

India is suitable for this role due to its rapidly expanding manufacturing base, relatively low labour costs with improving legal infrastructure, technological capacity, and a vast domestic market, it added.