The Great Geopolitical Game: India, Migration, and World Trade

In this episode, we discussed how countries are responding to the challenges of illegal migration—from the role of governments, to border policies, to public pressure. We also touched on India's geopolitical ambitions and discussed Sino-American relations in the context of tariffs, the trade war, and the competition for global influence.

Beijing, a besieged fortress?

The contemporary trade war between China and the United States, despite periodic attempts at de-escalation, is constantly evolving, taking on an increasingly nuanced and multi-layered form. Although Beijing is not formally identified as the primary target of the new US tariffs, Washington's actions – including those undertaken by the Donald Trump administration – are being interpreted as a direct signal against China and its economic dominance in global supply chains.

But no one likes to be intimidated – and the Chinese are no exception. Psychologically, they react like anyone else: if we feel threatened, we respond. In diplomacy, this "tit-for-tat" mechanism is standard – especially in economic relations. From the Chinese perspective, the situation is much more nuanced than often assumed here. A good example is Beijing's approach to the war in Ukraine. China's proposal of the so-called 12 Peace Points of 2023 was largely incomprehensible to us – Europeans – argued Dr. Łukasz Kossacki-Lytwyn.

Who should we let into Poland?

This question is increasingly moving beyond purely administrative concerns and becoming political and moral. Do we have an obligation to accept those fleeing war, poverty, and repression? Or should we be guided by cold calculation: accept only those we "need"?

Deputy Minister Maciej Duszczyk argued that Poland needs a new, coherent migration policy. The question is no longer whether borders should be open or closed – the question is: for whom? For IT specialists from India? For construction workers from Uzbekistan? For families from Georgia fleeing an authoritarian regime? Or perhaps above all, for those who can convince us they want to stay and follow our rules?

"That's why I'm talking about this selective migration policy (...). We have social processes that must fit together. Foreigners entering Poland must accept the values we uphold. Poland should pursue a selective migration policy aimed at protecting social cohesion by selecting migrants who are willing to accept local values, cultural norms, and lifestyles," argued Deputy Minister Maciej Duszczyk.

India as an independent power

Today, India is one of the world's fastest-growing economic and political powers, the world's fourth-largest economy, and increasingly competitive on the international stage. Despite its proximity and historical tensions with China, India pursues an independent, balanced foreign policy, skillfully balancing between great powers such as the United States, Russia, and China, avoiding permanent alliances and retaining full sovereignty over its decisions.

"Due to the current geopolitical situation, and especially in the context of China, they need the United States, although they also maintain very good relations with Russia, which complicates the puzzle. They are positioning themselves as an independent vector of power, something more than a state – as a civilization, much like China. They want to be perceived as one of the powers in the new, emerging, multipolar world – a new concert of powers," commented Dr. Małgorzata Bonikowska.