- Intro - Strong relations with Russia is a key pillar of India’s foreign policy. Similar political and strategic perceptions of the global affairs have been defining pillar of this time-tested relationship.
- Historical context:
- Close relations due to affinity for socialism
- Skepticism towards USA drove two partners towards close partnership
- Treaty of peace and friendship 1971
- cooperation:
- Ties upgraded to 2+2. Russia is the only non quad country with which India has 2+2 dialogue. Shows India's commitment to strategic autonomy, multi polarity and multi alignment
- Military cooperation-
- The India- Russia defence cooperation has evolved from a buyer-seller model to new areas of military technical collaboration.
- S400
- Nuclear powered submarine : (Chakra III)
- Manufacturing of Ka-226 helicopters and AK-203 assault rifles in India under make in India
- India Russia military cooperation has evolved from a buyer – seller framework to one involving joint research, development and production of advanced defence technologies and systems. Ex Brahmos, SU-30 aircraft, T-90 tanks, AK series rifle production under "Make in India" in Amethi,UP
- INDRA tri services military exercise takes place annually
- Russia supplied half of arms imports from 2016-20(SIPRI)
- economic:
- Plan to Establish Green corridor to ease customs for each other’s goods
- Plan to finalize India-Eurasian economic union FTA to increase bilateral trade.
- $10 B bilateral trade. $30 B trade by 2025.
- energy:
- Both sides are working to realise an “Energy bridge” between the two countries which is based on robust civil nuclear cooperation, LNG sourcing, partnership in oil and gas sector, and engagement into renewable energy sources.
- Russia being arctic council member has invited India to carry out research in the region
- space:
- MoU between ISRO and ROSCOSMOS for coop in Gaganyaan.
- coop b/w GLONASS and NAVIC
- Afghanistan-
- India has been invited for talks at the Moscow format
- With the exit of US, the role and responsibility of India and Russia has further increased to maintain stability in the region and prevent the threat of terrorism, instability and drug trafficking
- cultural/P2P- CCR-Oriental Institute fellowships that were established recently. The Ganga-Volga Dialogue, participation in the Raisina Dialogue, popularity of Yoga, the revived interaction on Buddhism and digitization of manuscripts are all examples that speak of a renewed enthusiasm.
- Ordinary Russians see India as a reliably friendly country with which their own nation has a virtually problem-free relationship. For their part, most Indians regard Russia as a proven friend that in the course of India’s seventy-five years of independence has never caused their country strategic harm.
- both countries have special and privileged partnership.
- Russia has been a long standing supporter of India’s membership to the NSG and UNSC
- While US frequently criticises India on its democracy and human rights, Russia never indulges in passing value based judgments. This is a unique aspect of India's relationship with Russia vis-a-vis USA.
- Russia has mostly stood by India. During the Galwan standoff last year, at India’s request, Russia rushed ammunition and spares, much to the annoyance of China. But given the growing proximity between Moscow and Beijing, and the geopolitical flux, India can no longer be assured of Russian support, particularly if a conflict breaks out with China.
- Indo- pacific: India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar had stated in 2019, “Russia is a Pacific Power which has Indian Ocean interests” while “India is an Indian Ocean power with very strong and growing Pacific interest”
- Chennai-Vladivostok route:
- PM Modi first PM to visit Vladivostok and first PM to receive Russia’s highest civilian honour.
- At Eastern economic forum(EEF) ,sea route from Chennai to Vladivostok as part of India's act far east and modi announced $1 B investment. This is not just a friendly gesture but a strategic initiative by India. Logic of India's engagements in Russia ‘s far east goes beyond counter balancing china, it is assertion of India's great power status, its confidence, based on recognition of India's interests in emerging geopolitical scenario in arctic.
- This route would potentially add the required balance to peace and prosperity in South China Sea and could open new vistas for India, like the India-Russia-Vietnam trilateral cooperation.
- issues:
- The divergence on the Indo-Pacific.
- Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov - called Quad a “devious policy” by western powers to engage India in “anti China games.” Refer quad as “divisive” and “exclusivity.” He has said “alliances such as Asian NATO can be counterproductive” and further stressed that Sino Russia ties are “the highest in history.”
- US has been a declining power. Russia’s objection to the term Indo pacific is that it signifies increase of America’s strategic interests and extrapolating this interest on both oceans.
- Russia’s ‘Greater Eurasia’ project and the Indo-Pacific are complementary and describe the same emergence: Of a new political moment and of a political geography that will seek a new alignment of interests and actors.
- in a situation when their best friends are bonding with their worst enemies, the main task for both New Delhi and Moscow is to shield the Indo-Russian strategic partnership from the wider and increasingly adverse global context, and uphold mutual trust.
- In geo economic terms, despite ongoing cooperation in areas ranging from nuclear energy to outer space to the Arctic, not to mention armaments development and production, the obvious weakness of the Indo-Russian relationship is its small and stagnant trade volumes. With America and China—despite the bad political relationship with the latter—India, a fast-rising economy, trades to the tune of $100 billion each, while commerce with Russia still languishes around a mere $10 billion. The reason is again plain to see: while 85 percent of India’s economy is now in private hands, Indo-Russian economic ties still rest on government-to-government agreements.
- India’s growing desire to diversify its arms imports and, recently, its clear intention to develop and produce weapons systems itself, have led to a slump in Russia’s share of the Indian arms market. As a result, Russia’s share of that market has shrunk to just under 50 percent. There is ever stronger competition from Europe and even more so from the United States.
- In 2014 Russia lifted arms embargo from Pakistan and in 2017 a military technical cooperation agreement was signed which deals with arms supplies to Pakistan.
- As India is looking west, Russia is looking east.
- the Indo Russian relationship has become more transactional and less strategic
- The relationship has been criticised as a political colossus on clay economic feet because of lower bilateral trade and less diversification.
- On India's purported tilt towards US-
- DB Venkatesh Varma, former ambassador to Russia-
- There is a unique, inherent strength in India-Russia relations, which follows its own logic and is immune to pressures from third countries.
- India stands on its own feet, thinks with its own mind and pursues its own interests.
- Both countries believe in the principle of multi-polarity.
- Each relationship stands on its own merits and in our view, the strengthening of India’s relations with the US, at the same time further consolidating our relationship with Russia, in fact adds to the strength and credibility of the multi-polar system.
- Pre conclusion- Recent Putin's visit to India where he called India a “great power” and India finalizing S400 amidst threat of US sanctions shows India’s centrality in russian foreign policy and India’s foreign policy of Strategic balance b/w USA-Russia
- Conclusion –Despite India’s increasing closeness to the West, a strong Russia and stronger India-Russia ties are important for India’s vision of a multi-polar world and for its own balanced foreign policy approach. It is also crucial for India to assert its strategic autonomy, defence modernization and ambition to become an important player in Eurasia and Indo pacific.
- Further reading-
- https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/09/07/india-russia-modi-putin-geopolitics-china-pakistan-afghanistan-brics/
- https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/india-russia-relations-in-a-post-covid-world/?amp&__twitter_impression=true
- https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/is-it-time-for-damage-control-in-india-russia-ties/?amp&__twitter_impression=true
- https://www.orfonline.org/research/did-lavrovs-india-trip-reset-india-russia-ties/
- https://chanakyaforum.com/india-russia-friendship-renewed/