If Germany and Turkey can reach out to Russia despite a history of conflict with it, there is no reason why India, which has never had a conflict of interest with its once best friend, cannot.
With India’s relationship with the United States and China under relentless focus, it is not surprising that the Indian President’s recent visit to the Russian Federation went almost unnoticed. Yet the trip served to remind both sides of a friendship that they once swore by and whose potential remains high despite years of mutual neglect, changed global circumstances and diversification of interests.
At one level, Pratibha Patil’s trip, like any presidential outing, was all ceremony and nostalgia. Dulcet tunes from the Raj Kapoor-directed Shri 420 filled the Grand Kremlin Palace’s incredibly beautiful gold and red Alexander Hall when President Dmitry Medvedev raised a toast to his Indian guest. If the blast from the past was ever so sweet, so was the ritual recalling of the golden years of “ Hindi-Rusi bhai-bhai” and the references to India and Russia’s shared civilisational roots.
Yet as the tour progressed, and the Indian presidential delegation was swept up in a whirlwind of high-level meetings and state events, it became clear that the visit was more than a goodwill exercise, that the rhetorical flourishes in the individual and joint statements were not as ornamental as they seemed; indeed, that there were strains in the once rock-solid bilateral relationship that the trip would strive to address — not through dramatic gestures and agreements as might be expected from a Prime Minister-level summit, but via signals and words conveyed by Ms Patil that Moscow would weigh, interpret and absorb.
On the flight into Moscow, Indian officials had admitted to a “sense of drifting away on both sides.” It was only a perception, they hastened to add, yet they had no answers to why such a perception must undermine a relationship they said was strong and based on high levels of trust. The unease was evident in Moscow too, with the intelligentsia — the media, security analysts, policy wonks, etc., — nearly unanimous that India-Russia relations, never the same after the break up of the Soviet Union, had suffered more recently from India’s “obsessive” engagement of the United States, and Russia, in turn looking elsewhere to consolidate its business and strategic interests.
At the people-to-people level, there was goodwill, yes. Older generation Russians spoke with genuine affection about India; after all, the international friendship had dominated their growing up years. As Russian analysts invariably pointed out, “there is nothing but good feeling for India.” But for the younger lot, exposed much more to the West than their parents, India was a fading, distant memory. Awara and the Kapoors had no name recall among them, and for those of us on the Indian side raised on weekly doses of Soviet Land and stories of India-Soviet bonding, the Russia we were visiting turned out to be not the country of our imagination.
Most Russians had not heard of the ongoing “Year of India in Russia” celebrations just as not many in India knew that 2008 was celebrated in India as the “Year of Russia in India.” The “gala concert” that the Indian side had billed as the high point of Ms Patil’s visit turned out to be an indifferent affair with the organisers struggling to find audiences for the below-par performance put up by Indian artistes at the world famous Bolshoi theatre.
That the Indian side was only too conscious of the tensions was apparent from Ms Patil twice choosing to place the relationship in its own context. At Mr. Medvedev’s banquet, she had spoken of countries, including Russia and India, pursuing “multi-vector” foreign policies. “However,” she added, “I can assure our Russian partners that even as we improve our relations with other countries, it will not be to the detriment of our tried and tested friendship.” The Indian President reiterated the point at her meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. India’s relationship with Russia, she said, will not be “at the expense of its relationship with other countries.”
To observers in Moscow, it was plain that by “other countries” Ms Patil had meant the U.S. India would have no reason to “assure” Russia about any other relationship, nor would a visiting Indian President stress a point like this unless there was a felt need to do so. At an informal briefing by Indian officials, a Moscow-based journalist came quickly to the heart of the matter, asking, “Is it not a fact that India is sitting in the lap of the United States?” Clearly upset at the accusation, the Indian side once again emphasised the “unique” nature of the bilateral relationship which ought not to be “viewed from the prism of any other relationship.” Keeping this relationship on track was not only “one of our top foreign policy priorities but is the cornerstone of our foreign policy.” The visitors also drew the reporter’s attention to Mr. Putin’s own reminder that the relationship was truly and really one of a kind: “Russia’s support for India at the Nuclear Suppliers Group in defence and nuclear cooperation showed the truly strategic nature of our partnership. Russia does not have this kind of a relationship with any other country.”
Back in India, reaction to the outcome of the visit has varied from “usual diplomatic hyperbole” to “there is indeed some recognition that this relationship is strategically important and must come to the front burner.” There is unanimity of opinion that the Soviet Union’s “immeasurable” assistance in defence and heavy industry contributed to making India what it is today. Russia has continued this support and, despite some problem areas, remains India’s most important military supplier even today — at a time when India has started to diversify its purchases. A case in point is the nuclear submarine built with 60 per cent Russian assistance.
Not just this. If the Soviet Union unfailingly backed India on Kashmir, Russia has done its bit for advancing India’s nuclear ambitions and in the face of perceived American attempt to roll back the clean exemption given last year by the NSG. Ms Patil was still on Russian soil when Moscow sent word that Russia would not agree to the Washington-authored G-8 curbs on the sale of Enrichment and Reprocessing items and technology.
Nobody, not even the most enthusiastic backer of closer Indo-U.S. ties, refutes Russia’s crucial place in India’s foreign policy scheme more so given the problematic future shape of the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. The U.S. tilt towards India is no longer as visible as it was in the George Bush days, which means that India would need all the help it can muster in the event of the region exploding into a crisis.
The emerging view in India is that India-Russia relations can never reach the heights scaled by India and the Soviet Union simply because there are 15 countries today where there was just one country earlier. India has necessarily to engage the U.S., and it cannot be faulted either for seeking to diversify its military purchases. But equally, there is a need to be transparent with Russia and invest sincerely and visibly in the relationship. There is a solid reason for doing so. The foreign policy interests of India and Russia almost converge, and the two countries uniquely have no conflict of interest.
Yet all this might come to nothing if India and Russia do not improve the currently abysmal levels of bilateral trade. The two countries are hoping eventually to raise trade volumes from the existing $2.5 billion to $10 billion. To place this in proper perspective, one has only to consider trade volumes between Russia and the European Union, which tripled between 2000 and 2007 to $63 billion and even between Russia and Turkey, which rose from $11 billion in 2004 to $38 billion in 2009.
New Delhi has made much of the annual reciprocal visits to India and Russia by the two Prime Ministers. But there has been far more to-ing and fro-ing between Russia and Germany which recognises the strategic importance of gas-rich Russia and wants it integrated into the European economy. If Germany and Turkey could reach out to Russia despite a history of conflict with it, why cannot India which admittedly has never had a conflict of interest with Russia?
As the world’s largest exporter of natural gas, and second largest of oil, Russia has enough and more to satiate India’s energy security needs. India has spent valuable time revisiting done deals with the U.S. (not signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, civil nuclear deal, etc.). It can surely spare some time to rebuild relations with an old friend.
Comments:
Wow. What an article....I have always been of the view of befriending with Russia. But engaging in more defence trade need to be approached with caution, because of the level of corruption involved there. We continue to see how many MIGs keep failing. Yet, it is a nice friend and we should really give them more time than the U.S.
Russia will always be our strongest friendly neighbourhood country. It's in our best interests to take the relationship forward with renewed vigour and goodwill.
Vidya Subrahmaniam's analysis is astute, synthesis is precise, suggestion is worthy and commendable. India and Pakistan can hope to develop relationship of trust - that can at best - exist between a cat and mouse. India and China can trust each other to the equivalent of - a lamb and tiger. Historically US friendship destroyed the friends ultimately. Soviet Union was truly a great friend in need - with few hiccups. India needs Russia and Russia needs India.
US views every relationship through the prism of corporate interests. The business lobbies are the real architects of its foreign policy. But the Russian approach is more humanitarian and imparts mutual benefit.
The author is absolutely spot on. By snubbing each others's co-operation and friendship both the nations have a lot at stake to lose.It high time we went back to our old ways of camaraderie.
India and Soviet Union were truly great friends. Pro-American media may disagree, but Indians like me who grew up with the “soviet land” magazine and other soviet books translated in Indian languages, Soviet Union was always a great friend. It is sad that both countries drifted apart in the past decade. However, Russia is still India's best friend - Russia sells its latest weaponry only to India, for example, SU 30 MKI the 4.5+ generation fighter/bomber aircraft. Russia refused to sell the same plane to China and Pakistan (instead selling the older version - Su 27 to China). India should spend more of its diplomatic energies and efforts in rebuilding its unique relationship with Russia to the old soviet level. In internet forums and discussion boards, Russians (ordinary Russians) always support India meanwhile commentators from US, UK, and other western nations generally tend to poke fun of India.
Russia actually for a time was truly a “friend indeed as a friend in need’ for India. For the development of technology and science they helped us at a time when America and western countries neglected us. For the coming era no doubt the role of America will not be much better instead we can't avoid Russia and some countries in Asia.
Russia is a better friend than US. Russia is the big brother of India and India should continue to listen to them.
The foreign policy of US follows a issue-based approach rather than a principle-oriented one. In the highly volatile area of South Asia, the US has got its own interests to promote. India is definitely seen as a partner that shares and follows with the U.S., the common idea of democracy. But that ends there. We have conflicts of interest with the U.S. on various fronts. We are not supportive of a world which promotes U.S. unilateralism. Clearly, this condition doesn’t promote stability in the long run. Russia, having seen its own debacle following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, is now a wise nation. The energy exports of Russia have uplifted it from the abyss of economic dismay. It is now rearing to go off the leash in partnership with the emerging superpowers- India and China. This obviously calls for better bi-lateral relationships too. You cannot have a trilateral relationship without proper bilateral engagements in place.
I am not surprised that the relationship is not what it used to be. When people become free they tend to gravitate towards like-minded people. India and Russia can have great a military-to-military relationship but can never have the same people-to-people relationship that India currently enjoys with countries like the United States. Let us not live on nostalgia. Let us look at the facts. Once the relationship began drifting apart, the Indian economy had some of its best growth. Is that a coincidence?
Both US and Russia are not to be trusted on foreign relations with India. They invest when needed and back out too. Soviet Union needed friends outside the bloc and we were around. Defence equipment from Russia is faulty and corruption prevents renegotiation. Friends of mine from Russia tell that a person cannot open a petrol station unless he pays money to local mafia; he will not physically survive. So, India must not paint a rosy picture of Russia. Everything is quid pro quo. Same for the US. While Russians are innovative, their stuff lacks reliability. US on the other hand backs out when convenient. Best to find how to play both cards.
Very good article for the authorities to follow. Most trusted people are the Russians. At the time of crisis only Russia will be with us, definitely not the new friend (US) which always look for opportunities.
In the past we have been accused by the Americans of tilting towards the Soviets. Now we are being accused by Russians of sitting in the lap of Americans. Our foreign policy needs to make it clear that we neither have a tilt nor are we anybody's baby and are quite capable of standing straight on our feet.
Russia cannot be compared with the United states for what it brings to India. First of all most of the people who made comments committed a big mistake by naming Russia as a longtime friend of India, whereas it was the U.S.S.R. The U.S.S.R had a lot in common with India in the past. Like India it tried to unite people of different faiths and race equally. The Russia of today is a more selfish and nationalist nation. Russia today only cares to sell weapons to India at any price. They get rid of aged, oxidised weaponry in order to get the currency to get top quality European weapons. Now compared to the United States, Russia has done nothing for India. Indian students would risk their lives if sent to study in Russia because of skinheads menace.
It is time India's leadership invested necessary time and resources to restore the legendary Indo-Russian relation to the level they enjoyed during Nehru-Indira Gandhi times. For example just as Chinese
produced consumer goods on a mass scale to be sold at competitive prices in American markets, why not Indian entrepreneurs try to do the same in Russian market? In Return Russia can be provider of oil, natural gas on a big scale to India, not to speak of modern armaments and nuclear power plants. As Russian population ages, it is bound to become more dependent on foreign labour, which India can provide in abundance.
India-Russia co-operation should extend to people-to-people contact too, instead of just being at the government levels. There should be more chairs in Indian and Russian universities to promote knowing about the other country.
Indo-US relations should not be at the expense of Indo-Russian relations. Russia always has and will play a major role in any global initiative. The last thing we want is to see our neighbours develop strategic ties with Russia which could be detrimental to the stability of Indian nation.
'Misha' - A great link to the USSR. Fond memories of beautiful stories and cartoons. Literature is the way to go forward again. Time we start getting past this new 'language divide' caused by us being able to communicate fluently with the "English Speaking World" and start renewing ties with our old friends. Key focus should not be on defense but on more people friendly projects - Agriculture and Infrastructure are two key areas. Think the biggest change this drifting has brought about is we no longer need to look at Russia as a big brother but more on equal terms now.
The writer has rightly pointed out the fault lines in Indo-Russian relations. It is important for us to realise the support Russia has shown towards us when India's new found ally US was in favour of our rival country in 71's war.No other country except Russsia will lend India nuclear submarines or help us to build other vital defence equipment and that too without any pre-conditions!!!It is important for India to realise new relations cannot be made at the cost of the friends which have supported us through thick and thin.Russia is our all weather ally!