maxpayne
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You are right. China is no doubt a rising economic power and only a fool or a very strong will confront it in future. Russia, no doubt, has some difference with China but it currently agrees on working together with China and as a reliable partner, China will always favor Russia. And it will ask same in return and they may even go together in case of any conflict with India. Russia, if not take side with India, will at least abstain from the issue.hmmm....well i have been saying this for a while. India still thinks it can play both sides i.e Russia and the west/U.S against each other and China to further its interests. The point is India doesnt have a clear vision/foreign policy. It doesnt yet know what vision/position it wants for itself in the world(contrary to China and Russia). If India thinks it can keep playing the west and Russia then its mistaking. Our governments are smart in foreign policy, they are not dumb to notice how India sometimes take a stance against our core interests like Ukraine and votes in security council against syria for example. All of these things are clearly noted by our governments. The thing is India doesnt have a big world economic Influence like U.S China,France, U.K, Japan or even Russia. Its world economic influence/trade is even below south Korea and its military is largely dependent on Russia and increasingly U.S/Isreal. Its still at best a semi regional power. But nevertheless its still a big country which no country can ignore. All its neighbours are also wary of it, so it doesnt have much influence in its region either(as its trade is still more internal than external coupled with its weak military industrial complex which doesnt allow it to export weapons to allies/partners ). So all this makes it an insecure power. In this regard the U.S will like to have India by itside but not as an equal partner(which it isn't obviously) but as a junior partner to be used against China. But india still cherish its soverignty alot and so its very cautious/wary of U.S intentions. So India is in a dilemna, it cant afford to fully ally itself with Russia in fear of antagonizing the U.S/west, and it cant afford either to ally with the U.S in fear of antagonizing Russia. So its in the same situation as Vietnam. They are both wary of China, but cant afford to seek/ally with Russia or the west/U.S in fear of antagonizing one of the two.
However, it will be best for India(and even Vietnam) to shed their old cold war romanticism/friendship with the U.S.S.R (Russia), we are living in a different world today, Russia is a diminished(though still potent regional) power. India and vietnam will be better off allying with the U.S/west, since the U.S is the only country who will support them against China. Russia will never jeopardize its deep/beneficial relationship with China for India and much less little Vietnam. Russia and China share common world interests/issues and are ready to stand against the so called 'U.S/western imperialism' . So they will stick with each other to challenge the west, all other regional issues China/Russia face will be secoundary to their world interests against the west.
So India(and to some extent Vietnam) will do well to forget Russia sensitivities and ally with the U.S, this will help them much more against China. This is the best solution i see for them. The Only other alternative will be to partner/negotiate with China bilaterally to solve their differences(which im sure India wiouldnt want to be seen as a junior partner to China as well), so it will be better for India to side with the U.S/west, since it will be more beneficial in the long term than remaining with an old declining Russia. India can keep deluding itself that it can keep on playing both sides(or that russia will take it side against China.lol), because trying to play both sides will one day backfire, since in critical time of need/when in conflict, neither Russia nor the U.S /west will side/help India when push comes to shove against chin, since they will both be wary/cautious of its duplicity. You cant play both sides forever. So siding with the U.S will be the best option.IMO
I see Pakistan had more better foresight than India by siding with China years ago. Pakistan played an excellent bridge between US and China and thus still get favor from both. This is policy it should have adopted immediately after its creation but it inclined more towards US rather than a neutral state.
In short China is a rising sun and there are two options for India, either to go with China (and Russia) or go against China and thus weaken its relation with Russia also.
ya pakistani?? 
