India’s long-enjoyed “geopolitical sweet spot” allowed it to balance great powers, extract concessions, and shape global agendas. U.S. investment in India as a China counterweight, China’s restraint, and Russia’s hedging created a uniquely favorable environment, seen in exemptions like the 2018 S-400 purchase and strong G20 support. But the 2020 Galwan clashes and Russia-Ukraine war exposed limits of India-U.S. ties, eroded trust, and highlighted China’s growing power. Washington’s romantic view of India cooled, and India shifted focus to border stability over wider balancing. The world is now more competitive, making diplomacy tougher and India’s leverage thinner. Hindustan Time’s Shashank Mattoo CSDR’s fellow Dr Sidhath Raimedhi on the ongoing development.