The breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 was a game-changer for India, shaking up its economy, defence strategy, and foreign relations.

For years, the USSR had been India’s largest trading partner, pumping in vital support through the rupee-ruble trade agreement. But then, December 25, 1991, arrived, and the Soviet Union collapsed.

While the Soviet Union’s collapse seemed like a disaster at first, it actually pushed India to evolve—fast.

In this episode of The NEON Show, a former diplomat with a 36-year career in the Indian Foreign Service, Rajiv Sikri examines India’s complex ties with neighbouring countries exploring issues like Kashmir, economic interdependence, and political dynamics. He also sheds light on the impact of global powers, especially the US and China, on India’s strategic choices.

Check out Rajiv Sikri’s book Strategic Conundrums: Reshaping India's Foreign Policy: https://www.amazon.in/Strategic-Conundrums-Reshaping-Indias-Foreign/dp/0143464574
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Timestamps
00:00 -Host Siddharth Ahluwalia introduces The Neon Show.
00:43 - Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan.
01:04 - Pakistan’s economic/political issues.
05:06 -Pakistan's ties with the West, China, and the military's role.
08:40 -Kashmir conflict and India-Pakistan relations.
12:06 - Pakistan's internal political dynamics.
15:24 - Bangladesh's identity and India relations.
18:00 - India-Bangladesh economic interdependence.
26:06 - India’s strategic geographic position.
29:52 - India’s foreign policy after the Berlin Wall’s fall.
33:40 - Economic impacts and India-US relations.
37:52 - US-Russia relations and the Ukraine conflict.
42:12 - Russia-Ukraine war’s effect on India.
48:16 - US dominance and unilateral actions post-1989.
52:04 - Challenges to US hegemony.
56:00 - India-US relations amidst strategic concerns.
1:01:20 - BRICS and global multipolarity.
1:04:40 - Dollar dependency and US financial power.
1:08:20 - Concluding thoughts on India’s foreign policy.
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Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys.

Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.

We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.
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This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.

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GEOPOLITICS SPECIAL: Former MEA Secretary On India-US Relations, Pakistan's Decline & Bangladesh

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