2018: When India got into its diplomatic stride, took key steps to assert its global self

In many ways, 2018 was unique for India's external engagement as the country managed to bring back normalcy in its ties with China, secured a waiver from the US on import of Iranian crude oil, enhanced strategic cooperation with Russia and displayed its intent to play a bigger role in the Indo-Pacific.

In the backdrop of a geopolitical flux in the region, India also demonstrated a certain degree of assertiveness in handling relations in the neighbourhood, including with Pakistan and Abdulla Yameen's China-backed regime in the Maldives.

Another key signal of India's resoluteness in its foreign policy approach was the signing of a Rs 40,000-crore deal with Russia to procure a batch of S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding the US' warning of punitive measures under its sanction regimes against Moscow.

However, the main highlight of the year was a perceptible improvement in bilateral ties with China, following a landmark summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in the Chinese city of Wuhan in April.

The informal summit, which was followed by three other bilateral meetings between the two leaders, imparted new momentum in the relations and enhanced mutual trust, months after the Doklam episode raised fears of a wider conflict between the two Asian giants.

After the talks between Modi and Xi in Buenos Aires on November 30 on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said, "Both sides were optimistic that 2018 was a good year but 2019 would be an even better year."