TGL 19 | India's dangerous game with US, China, & Russia - Ambassador Rahul Chhabra

India is rewriting the rules of global power, and nobody does it quite like New Delhi. In this episode of The Global Lens, host Maryanne Maldonado sits down with Ambassador Rahul Chhabra, a 40-year veteran of Indian diplomacy, to break down how India is simultaneously managing its relationships with the United States, Russia, and China without fully committing to any of them. From buying Russian oil while courting Washington, to resetting ties with China while keeping troops at the border, India is executing one of the most complex foreign policy balancing acts in modern history. Ambassador Chhabra calls it "strategic autonomy", and he explains exactly what that means, why it works, and how long India can keep it up.  In this episode: Why India refuses to pick a side, and why that's actually strategic How Trump's pressure on Modi over Russian oil is playing out India's tactical stabilization with China (and why it's not a real reset) The role of soft power in India's rise as a global force What India's rise actually means for Houston, Africa, and Southeast Asia Why India is now a rule-shaper, not a rule-taker Whether you follow geopolitics closely or you're just trying to understand what's happening in the world right now, this conversation will give you the full picture. Want to see Ambassador Chhabra in person? He'll be speaking live in Houston on April 9, 2026, at Asia Society Texas. Don't miss it   https://wachouston.org/event/1077-indias-global-leadership/ Subscribe so you never miss an episode. #India #Geopolitics #ForeignPolicy #IndiaChina #IndiaUS #BRICS #Modi #GlobalAffairs #Diplomacy #TheGlobalLens #WACHouston