India and Russia have a long-standing relationship, with Putin calling India a 'strong and reliable ally'.

The Soviet Union was India's greatest 20th-century ally against Western powers like the US.

Russia has supported India's strategic interests, including in Kashmir and the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Most of India's military equipment is of Russian origin.

India and Russia have a strategic partnership.

India has procured S-400 air defence systems and Talwar-class frigates from Russia.

India aims for $50 billion in investments and $30 billion in trade with Russia by 2025.

India and Russia jointly produced the BrahMos missile.

India's military uses Russian weaponry, such as Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft and T-90S tanks.

India has resisted US pressure to condemn Russia over Ukraine, instead buying discounted Russian oil and making it its largest supplier.

Indian-Russian trade exceeded $50 billion last year, including energy, fertilizers, and coking coal.

India is balancing its strategic partnerships with the US and Russia, which often have conflicting interests.

India's relationship with China is tense due to a decades-long border dispute.

Russia and China have recently warmed up their relations in opposition to the US-led international order.

Russia will support India against China due to national self-interest.

Western sanctions and the Ukraine war have weakened Russia, causing it to rely on China as its main partner.

India's reliance on Russia may be unreliable in countering China due to Russia's growing dependence on China.

Russia is likely to remain a mediator in India-China relations, as India relies on Russia for military supplies.

China does not want to break Russia-India cooperation to prevent India's alignment with the US.

Russia and the West share an interest in a strong India to counterbalance China.

India and Russia have a long-standing relationship, with Putin calling India a 'strong and reliable ally'.

Title:

Content: Russia / India / Politics / Military
Modi Meets Putin, Putin Praises India as ‘ Strong and Reliable Ally ’
Putin, who is visiting India, praised India as a "strong and reliable ally" of Moscow. Putin's visit focused on "energy" and "defense". The foreign ministers and defense ministers of the two sides held their first 2 + 2 meeting and signed a number of military cooperation agreements.
In a joint statement, the two sides reiterated their intention to strengthen defense cooperation and achieve the goal of reaching US $30 billion in bilateral trade by 2025.
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Indian diplomats said on Monday that Russia had begun supplying India with S-400 long-range air defense systems.
During Putin ’ s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two sides also signed a 10-year military cooperation agreement and an oil cooperation agreement.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the two sides reiterated their intention to strengthen defense cooperation, including joint research and development and production of military equipment. They also stressed the need to achieve the goal of 30 billion US dollars in bilateral trade by 2025, and strengthen cooperation in energy and satellite navigation.
Speaking to the media before his meeting with Modi, Putin said: "We consider India to be a big country, a friendly country and a security ally."
Putin ’ s trip to India is aimed at strengthening ties with India ’ s traditional allies, which are being eroded by the United States.
To counter China ’ s rise, the United States has established the Quad Security Dialogue (Quad) with India, Japan and Australia, drawing attention from Beijing and Moscow.
During the Cold War, India had close relations with the Soviet Union, a relationship that continues to this day, described by New Delhi as a “special and privileged strategic partnership. ”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday to discuss defense and trade relations between the two countries to strike a balance with the United States.
"Over the past few decades, there have been many fundamental changes in the world, as well as various geopolitical elements, but India's friendship with Russia has always been the same," Modi said before the meeting with Putin.
India ’ s foreign ministry said the annual bilateral summit covered political and defence issues.
The two leaders also discussed the takeover of the Afghan regime by the Taliban earlier this year, which has led to a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
India and Russia have long had close ties, and both sides have set a goal of reaching US $30 billion in bilateral trade by 2025.
But recently, India and the United States have drawn closer, seeing the United States as a key force in the fight against China.
India, while strengthening its military ties with the United States, is also trying to manage its defense relations with Russia.
India, a major arms importer, relied heavily on the former Soviet Union for its military supplies during the Cold War, and now buys weapons from the United States in a decentralized manner.
Under former US President Donald Trump, India signed more than US $3 billion in arms purchase contracts with the United States, and the two countries ’ armaments trade has increased from zero in 2008 to US $15 billion in 2019.
On the other hand, India ’ s purchase of the Russian-made S-400 missile system to counter China has become a major problem in relations with the United States.
This sophisticated anti-aircraft missile defense system, once available, is expected to give India the strategic deterrent power against China and Pakistan.
However, the United States has asked partners not to purchase Russian-made military equipment, or it may impose sanctions.
In addition, India and Russia held their first 2 + 2 meeting in New Delhi on Monday, where they signed a number of cooperation agreements on "military and small arms".
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in New Delhi on Monday night and held a 2 + 2 meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Igor Sujason and Defense Minister Manmohan Singh.
The Ministerial 2 + 2 meeting was the first between India and Russia.
Singh tweeted after the meeting that discussions on defence cooperation between the two sides had been fruitful and that India valued the "special strategic partnership" with Russia.
He added that the two sides had signed several agreements, contracts and protocols on small arms and military cooperation.
However, Singh and India ’ s Ministry of Defence have yet to release a formal statement or press release disclosing details of the various agreements signed with Russia.
Indian media reported that one of the major agreements was the technology transfer and local production of the Russian-made AK-203 assault rifle.
Under the agreement, India will produce more than 600,000 AK-203 assault rifles in India over the next 10 years through an Indo-Russian joint venture.
Another deal is to extend the 10-year India-Russia military-technical cooperation agreement until 2031.

The Soviet Union was India's greatest 20th-century ally against Western powers like the US.

Title:

Content: Top

Old friends

X

On Monday, PM Modi spoke over the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The phone call reportedly was a follow-up on many of the issues raised during Putin's recent India visit on December 6. According to a statement by the PMO, the two leaders have agreed to remain in regular touch with each other on a range of issues covered under the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Insofar as visits from foreign dignitaries and leaders go, Putin's visit to India earlier this month was arguably the most consequential development for India in the field of foreign affairs for quite some time. India, as may be known, has a long and storied relationship with Russia and its precursor, the Soviet Union. From the earliest days, the friendship between the two nations had a strong strategic undertone with both sides supporting each other on the world stage whenever necessary. Indeed, the Soviet Union was undeniably India's greatest ally in the 20th century against the machinations of the western powers like the US that did not take kindly to India announcing itself to be a 'socialist' nation. From Kashmir to the Bangladesh Liberation War, Russia has stood by India in defence of its strategic interests. As a proof of the relationship, a majority of military equipment India currently possesses was either directly supplied by Moscow or is otherwise of Russian origin. In recent years, with the fall of the Soviet Union and India's move towards liberalising its economy, India has ventured out into the world to make a new set of friends. This time around, it is India and the US that are getting along like a house on fire. India has deliberately sought to widen its field diplomatically and militarily in order to not be tied down to a single nation with the rather pragmatic understanding that there are no permanent relationships in international politics. In more recent times, Russia and India have somewhat drifted further apart as Russia bands together with India's rival China to take on the hegemony of the western world that is held up by the US. While India has no interest in joining the US in its power games against Russia, it is very much interested in leveraging its relationship with the west in its struggle to contain a belligerent China. It is here that India has had to perform a tremendous tight-rope walk, particularly following the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia. On the one hand, you have America that wishes to limit or even extinguish India's strategic relationship with Russia. On the other, you have Russia that is increasingly concerned and agitated by India drawing ever closer to the US's sphere of influence as it joins America in endeavours like the Quad grouping. Of particular concern to both sides is India's continuing dependence on Russia for military equipment. The US, already having sanctioned Turkey for the same, looks on menacingly as it threatens India with sanctions for buying the S-400 missile system. Russia, of course, is not only interested in keeping its old defence ties but even expanding them, as it has been recently teasing India with the possibility of being the first nation in the world to buy the improved S-500 missile system. In this regard, Putin's visit to India could be termed as symbolic. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Putin has only ventured out twice from his country, with the second trip being the one to India. His tone and body language during the meeting with PM Modi spoke volumes of the importance he attaches to maintaining the ties with India. Aside from underscoring the good working relationship he has with India's PM, the visit also highlighted that despite the recent turns of history, the two nations still have much to share and collectively work towards. Common concern in regards to the Taliban and Afghanistan is one such area that the two sides are looking to cooperate on in the near future. Another is strengthening existing defence ties between the two nations. Underscoring its strategic independence, India has decided to continue with its defence dealings with Russia, discussing the purchase of the S-400 missile system while also finalising a long-pending Rs 5,000 crore deal for the production of over five lakh AK-203 rifles in a joint Indo-Russian deal. But all said and done, the future of India's relationship with Russia still has some shades of uncertainty. Primary amongst them is the ongoing escalation between Moscow and NATO in regards to Ukraine and eastern Europe. If Russia should choose to brave threats of western sanctions to take action in Ukraine, where does this leave India? Can India still continue its balancing game between east and west at a time when geopolitics are heating up to a boiling point? That remains to be seen.

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Russia has supported India's strategic interests, including in Kashmir and the Bangladesh Liberation War.

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

What do Putin and Modi officially characterize Russia/ India relationship as?

Most of India's military equipment is of Russian origin.

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

weapons supply
security & military
weapons joint production

India and Russia have a strategic partnership.

Title:

Content: You are here: Home » Current Affairs » News » National
Business Standard

'India great power and a time-tested friend', says Russia's Vladimir Putin

India, Russia hold 21st summit, and first 2+2 dialogue; sign 28 agreements

Topics
indian government | India-Russia ties | Narendra Modi

Ajai Shukla  |  New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives Russian President Vladimir Putin at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, on Monday (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi and Moscow on Monday issued to the world a high-visibility reminder about their “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership”, as Prime Minister and Russian President held the 21st India-Russia Summit, an annual ritual missed only in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Leading into the 21st summit meeting, India and Russia held their first-ever 2 + 2 Ministerial Dialogue, in which External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh together held strategic discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

“We perceive India as a great power, a friendly nation and a time-tested friend. The relations between our countries are growing and I am looking into the future,” Putin said in his initial comments.

Putin also expressed concern over the developments in Afghanistan and said India and Russia will continue to coordinate on major challenges facing the region.

Modi said Putin’s second visit abroad during the Covid-19 pandemic reflected his personal commitment to the and that the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two sides was getting stronger. In the last few decades, the world witnessed many fundamental changes and different kinds of geopolitical equations and variables, but the friendship of India and Russia remained constant, Modi said. “Your visit to India is a reflection of your commitment to ties with India,” the PM said.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said 28 agreements were concluded between India and Russia after Modi-Putin meet. After the 2+2 meeting, Jaishankar tweeted: “A productive exchange of perspectives on cross-cutting and inter-related issues. Will be reporting it to the Annual Summit later today.”

Earlier on Monday, there was a meeting of the apex body that governs defence relations between the two: The Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC), co-chaired by the two defence ministers, Singh and Shoigu.

India’s military uses Russian weaponry extensively, such as Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft, T-90S tanks and BMP infantry combat vehicles, Talwar-class frigates, and Kilo-class submarines. The two sides have jointly produced the highly regarded BrahMos cruise missile system.

During the 17th annual summit, the two countries concluded deals on India’s procurement of five units of the S-400 air defence systems for an estimated ~37,000 crore, constructing Talwar-class frigates under Project 1135.6, and a shareholders’ agreement on a joint venture (JV) to manufacture Kamov-226T helicopters in India.

The S400 is regarded as the world’s premier long-range missile system, with the ability to shoot down enemy aircraft at ranges up to 400 kilometres. During the confrontation over the last two years between the Chinese and Indian armies in Ladakh, China deployed the S400 along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

On March 3, 2019, in Amethi, Modi announced another JV —Indo-Russian Rifles — that would manufacture 750,000 AK-203 assault rifles in Korwa under the “Make in India” programme for an estimated $687 million. Russia is also competing for a ~40,000-crore deal for building six submarines in India under Project 75I, and a ~50,000-60,000 crore agreement to manufacture 114 fighter aircraft in India.

To ensure that Russian defence equipment was not hampered by any shortfall in maintenance or spare parts, the two sides agreed during the 20th Annual Summit in Vladivostok in September 2019 to cooperate in producing spare parts for Russian/Soviet military equipment.

The India-Russia defence partnership is being tested by Washington, especially through the piece of legislation the US Congress passed in 2017, titled CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act). This provides for US sanctions on countries that have significant defence or intelligence relations with Russia, Iran, or North Korea. India’s purchase of the S400 missile system is regarded as a potential trigger for Washington to impose sanctions.

While the US Congress has created a “CAATSA waiver” for close partners such as India, the US president is required to determine whether to exercise that waiver. So far, President Joe Biden has not stated a preference.

India, which faces a growing threat from China, is determined to buy the S400 from Russia. Asked whether New Delhi would bow to CAATSA pressure, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson said last week: “India and the US have a special global strategic partnership. And we also have a very special and privileged strategic partnership with Russia. And as you’re all aware, we pursue an independent foreign policy. This applies to our defence acquisitions, and supplies which are and will continue to be guided by our security interest.”

New Delhi and Moscow have identified trade and economic relations as a priority area. Modi and Putin have set a bilateral investment target of $50 billion and a bilateral trade target of $30 billion by 2025. (With inputs from PTI)

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First Published: Tue, December 07 2021. 01:24 IST
.

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

weapons supply
security & military
weapons joint production

What do Putin and Modi officially characterize Russia/ India relationship as?

What formal frameworks do India and Russia cooperate within?

India has procured S-400 air defence systems and Talwar-class frigates from Russia.

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

India aims for $50 billion in investments and $30 billion in trade with Russia by 2025.

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

India and Russia jointly produced the BrahMos missile.

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

weapons supply
security & military
weapons joint production

India's military uses Russian weaponry, such as Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft and T-90S tanks.

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

India has resisted US pressure to condemn Russia over Ukraine, instead buying discounted Russian oil and making it its largest supplier.

Title:

Content: 31 Dec, 2023 08:46

Deeper than diplomacy: There is a reason why New Delhi and Moscow rely on each other

Russia’s respect for India’s policy of strategic autonomy is the core strength of bilateral ties, as the Indian foreign minister’s latest visit proves

Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s five-day official visit to Russia was timely and significant for more than one reason.

India and Russia had held annual summits at the leadership level since 2000. This sent an important message in terms of the value attached by the two countries to bilateral ties, but it also conveyed a broader geopolitical message to other international partners of the two countries.

But this practice was broken largely because of Russia’s pre-occupation with the Ukraine conflict and its fallout. The last annual summit took place in 2021.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin could have held a summit on the margins of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg in South Africa or the G20 summit in New Delhi, but Putin did not attend either. While Jaishankar’s visit does not substitute for a summit meeting, it was intended to fill a political gap.

Jaishankar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have met six times during the year, and the Indian external affairs minister also met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov during the year on the economic agenda. For Jaishankar to visit Russia before the end of the year, undeterred by the Russian winter and holiday season, reflects the importance both sides attach to the further expansion of ties.

Putin has on several occasions praised the Indian prime minister and positively noted the country’s economic progress. At the ‘Russia Calling’ Forum in early December this year, he said that despite pressure from others, he “cannot imagine that Modi could be frightened, intimidated or forced to take any actions, steps, decisions that would at variance with the national interest of India and the Indian people.” He noted that sometimes he is surprised at Modi’s tough stance on Indian national interests. He added that the policy pursued by Modi is the “main guarantor” of the developing bilateral ties.

This is high and unusual praise by Putin. It can be interpreted on several levels – particularly as an acknowledgement that India has resisted pressure from the US and others to condemn Russia over the Ukraine conflict, impose sanctions, and reduce defense ties with Russia. India has, on the contrary, bought discounted Russian oil to the point that Russia has become its biggest oil supplier. It has argued that ensuring this market flow of Russian oil has helped avoid a major spike in oil prices and checked global inflation. Indian-Russian trade has expanded, while the G7 has broken economic and trade ties with Russia.

India played a major role as G20 president in negotiating the part in the Leaders’ Declaration on the Ukraine conflict despite the hardening of the G7 position and that of Russia and China after the G20 summit in Bali. The final text does not mention Russia by name, while the G7 was satisfied that the general formulations in it could be sold as being directed at Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.

Not surprisingly, Putin complimented India for de-politicizing the G20. India chaired the SCO summit in July 2023 and participated in the BRICS summit in South Africa in August 2023. This countered G7 attempts to isolate Russia diplomatically. In fact, the New Delhi SCO Declaration spoke of more effective global institutions, a more representative, just, and multipolar world order based on international law and multilateralism, and criticized the unilateral application of economic sanctions – a clear critique of the Western-dominated global system.

It is against this backdrop that Putin received Jaishankar at the Kremlin, the first time that such a gesture has been made to him personally. The general unavailability of Putin to visiting foreign ministers is well-known.

Jaishankar delivered a personal message from Modi to Putin. During the meeting, Putin invited his “friend Modi” to visit Russia in 2024 and noted that Indian-Russian ties were on the whole developing well. He said that he had been briefing Modi on developments in Ukraine, remarking that he understands the Indian prime minister is willing to do his utmost to resolve the matter by peaceful means. He added that he would give additional information to Jaishankar on Ukraine.

India has continued to strengthen ties with the US, including in the defense domain. It is a member of the Quad and a strong supporter of the Indo-Pacific concept, both of which are intended to deter China’s regional ambitions. Russia has reservations about the Quad and the Indo-Pacific concept, which it sees as the US engaging in bloc politics in Asia.

Putin’s praise for Modi and India and the gesture of receiving Jaishankar takes into consideration these realities of India’s foreign policy which are meant to safeguard the larger national interests. At the core of this is Russia’s respect for India’s policy of strategic autonomy. Jaishankar’s high-profile visit and the vigorous language used to mark the importance of India’s traditional ties with Russia would have caught Washington’s attention.

Jaishankar noted that after talks with Lavrov, “what clearly came out was that India-Russia relations remain very steady, remain very strong, they are based on our strategic convergence, on our geopolitical interests, and because they are mutually beneficial.” The two leaders discussed political cooperation within international organizations such as BRICS, the SCO, etc.

Indian-Russian trade is at an all-time high, exceeding $50 billion last year, and should pass that figure this year. It includes energy, fertilizers, coking coal, and other items, for which long term arrangements were discussed. India intends to expand investments in Russia’s oil and gas sector.

On the nuclear side, two important amendments were agreed to which will take the Kudankulam nuclear power project forward. Mutual investments, progress on a bilateral investment treaty, and the resumption of negotiations between India and the Eurasian Economic Union for a free trade agreement will be resumed in the second half of January 2024.

Moscow and New Delhi will expand cooperation in the Russian Far East. India expects a large representation from this region at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in January 2024.

Connectivity between India and Russia will be critical for expanding trade ties – connectivity from western India through the International North-South Transport Corridor, and connectivity from eastern India, from Chennai to Vladivostok, and the polar route. To promote tourism, India is open to increasing the number of flights from India every week.

The talks between Jaishankar and Lavrov were comprehensive. They discussed the global strategic situation, Ukraine, Gaza, the Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, Afghanistan, UN-related matters, the challenges facing the Global South, and the building of a multipolar order. China would undoubtedly have been discussed, but diplomatic discretion here would be normal.

In the joint press conference, Lavrov spoke of prospects for more defense cooperation, including joint production of modern weapons under New Delhi’s ‘Make in India’ program, and, importantly, expressed respect for India’s efforts to diversify its defense ties. He noted bilateral cooperation in rocket engine manufacturing and satellite navigation systems.

Jaishankar’s visit was productive in maintaining the momentum of Indian-Russian ties, which have been built over 60 years, a relationship that he believes is not just about politics, diplomacy, or economics, but is much deeper.

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13: 32 What is known about the new President of Iran Masoud Peseshkian
Nazarbayev ’ s Big Friend Sold Assets in Kazakhstan 21 Times Cheaper
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12: 42 Aktau seaport to receive international status
10: 09 Why does Russia continue to sell uranium to the United States?
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09: 17 Foreign political parties banned in Uzbekistan
09: 14 Erdogan does not lose hope: what cat ran between Russia and Turkey, - Kamran Hasanov
09: 13 In Tajikistan, fines for smoking increased threefold
09: 09 "The fate of the battle for Donbass is being decided."
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09: 06 Who is settling accounts with the arrested General Commander Popov?
09: 04 Azerbaijani, reformist leader Masud Pezeshkian wins presidential election in Iran
01: 38 Oleg Tsarev: Russian is not about nationality, but about self-identification
01: 32 Eastern NATO already exists and operates, - A. Koshkin
01: 29 In the US, they are in a hurry to create an AI that can easily destroy humanity, - V. Prokhvatilov
00: 44 Kazakhstan again began to detain trucks of Russian cargo carriers
A group of influential Democrats asked Biden to withdraw from the election
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Iran tests itself for conservatism, - E.Baynazarov
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18: 28 Medinsky, who merged the negotiations in Istanbul, continues to do the same
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13: 30 Biden still has moments of enlightenment, - P. Baker et al.
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12: 01 The West praises the Russian ministers.
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11: 59 German Foreign Minister Berbok got into another scandal with migrants
11: 48 Daniyar Ashimbayev: How it was … the background of the emergence of the SCO, the EAEU
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Why India is walking the tightrope between the US and Russia
12: 56 7 / 6 / 2024
Why India is walking the tightrope between the US and Russia
05.07.2024
After the Cold War, which began in the 1950s, split the world into two camps, the newly independent India became the founder of the Non-Aligned Movement, a group of countries that did not side with either Washington or Moscow.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India retained some elements of this policy unchanged, while abandoning others.
In particular, Modi has strengthened ties with the United States, in which he sees a partner in the confrontation with a more assertive China.
At the same time, he continued to develop his country ’ s long-standing ties with Russia.
As a sign of Russia ’ s important role for India, Modi will meet with President Vladimir Putin on July 8 during his first foreign visit to a fellow leader after being elected for a third term.
But these relations are becoming increasingly complex as Russia strengthens ties with China, seeking its broader support.
China and India are not allies.
1.
Is India an ally of the United States?
India and the United States have been strategic partners for at least two decades, which means they can build relationships and cooperate militarily, but are not official treaty bound allies.
Although they have much in common – both countries are large and diverse democracies – New Delhi pursues its own interests in ways that sometimes conflict with US interests.
For example, India has refused to condemn Russia in the conflict with Ukraine, while an alleged plot of assassins in the United States has triggered a criminal investigation in which senior Indian officials are implicated, according to prosecutors.
The basis of relations remains the transformation of China into an assertive regional power.
China and India are long-time rivals with a bitter border dispute, and the US is seeking to draw India as a counterweight to Beijing ’ s rise.
India is part of the Quartet, a regional security dialogue with the United States, Japan and Australia.
A group of senior U.S. officials recently visited India to discuss cooperation in technology, security and foreign investment.
2.
What is India ’ s relationship with Russia?
Although India openly declared its non-alignment during the Cold War, it maintained warm relations with Moscow and was wary of the United States, which was closer to India ’ s main rival, Pakistan.
India and Russia maintain strong ties to this day.
The basis of this relationship is India ’ s status as a reliable buyer of Russian arms and crude oil.
Today, Russia remains India ’ s largest arms supplier, although, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, shipments have declined from about two-thirds of India ’ s arms imports more than a decade ago to just over one-third today as India seeks to diversify its sources of arms supplies.
Russia also remains India ’ s largest oil supplier, although sanctions imposed on Russian oil exports have affected Russian oil imports to India.
India also stands out among the leading democracies for its unwillingness to criticize Russia and abstained from voting at the United Nations, which condemned Russia for the conflict in Ukraine.
3.
What is India ’ s relationship with China?
Relations have been tense for years.
The source of tension was a territorial dispute along their common border that lasted decades and over which the two countries fought a war in 1962.
The dispute flared up again in 2020, culminating in a series of deadly skirmishes and prompting New Delhi to ban Chinese smartphone apps and limit Chinese investment in India.
Recently, there have been rumors of a relaxation of tension.
In May, Beijing appointed its first ambassador to India in 18 months.
After his arrival, he expressed a desire to improve relations between the two countries.
China also congratulated Modi on winning the election in June, and a Chinese official said the countries were on a "healthy and stable path."
The two countries agreed on further negotiations to resolve the border dispute.
4.
How are relations between Russia and China changing?
Russia and China have been rivals since the Sino-Soviet split during the Cold War (a rivalry that also brought Russia and India closer together).
But relations have noticeably warmed as both countries united in their opposition to the US-led international order.
The Russian president made his first foreign trip to Beijing after he was re-elected for a third presidential term in March.
At the July summit on security in Kazakhstan, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin said that relations between them are “the best in history, ” and both sides vowed to jointly defend“ calm and stability in the region. ”
China has become another major buyer of Russian oil, gas and coal, helping Russia counter Western sanctions.
5.
How does the United States view relations between India and Russia?
Washington still views India as a bulwark preventing China from spreading its influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
While he has occasionally criticized India for alleged human rights abuses and the treatment of minorities, India ’ s ties with Moscow have come at minimal political cost.
Following a recent visit by senior US officials, Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said the US side had raised the issue of India ’ s ties with Russia, as well as accusations of India ’ s involvement in a plot to murder for hire.
But he also said that the United States is confident in its relations with India and wants to expand cooperation between the two countries.
According to some analysts, the US sees India as an important ally in its quest to contain China, so it does not want to risk antagonizing officials in New Delhi.
Prepared by ProFinance.Ru based on Bloomberg materials.
Source - ProFinance.Ru
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What has negatively affected India/ Russia current relationship?

India's relationship with China is tense due to a decades-long border dispute.

Russia and China have recently warmed up their relations in opposition to the US-led international order.

Title:

Content: China
According to the American publication Politico, during a nearly two-hour conversation in video format on March 18, US President Joe Biden failed to convince Chinese President Xi Jinping to commit to using Chinese influence to stop the Russian special operation in Ukraine.
On the contrary, this conversation provoked the Chinese leader to implicit criticism of the US role in fueling the Ukrainian crisis.
Moreover, Beijing seems to be only strengthening its relations with Moscow and opposing Washington ’ s attempts to stop the special operation to denazize and demilitarize Ukraine.
A senior White House official said that Biden did not make any specific demands during the talks, but only outlined his vision of the situation in Ukraine, but nevertheless warned that Moscow ’ s support would have consequences for China.
Administration spokeswoman Jen Psaki confirmed that Washington could impose sanctions against China.
Xi Jinping ’ s rhetoric was less belligerent: he pointed out to Biden that the main priority in the situation in Ukraine remains the continuation of dialogue and the prevention of civilian casualties, the avoidance of a humanitarian crisis and an early ceasefire, and in the long term, mutual respect between major powers, the rejection of the mentality of the cold war and bloc confrontation, the consistent construction of a sustainable system of global and regional security.
In addition, the Chinese President told the American President that “the United States and NATO should promote dialogue with Russia, address the security concerns of the Russian Federation and Ukraine and the real cause of the Ukrainian crisis. ”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is confident that China ’ s position is objective and fair, and time will show that it is on the right side of history.
The lack of substantive results from the March 18 talks casts doubt on whether the personal relationship between U.S. and Chinese leaders, dating back to Biden ’ s time as vice president, can indeed help bridge deep political differences between them.
Most likely, this will only strengthen the White House ’ s policy towards China, which is based on rallying Washington ’ s allies to counter Beijing ’ s influence in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
This is clearly evidenced by the words of the official representative of the State Department Ned Price, sounded on March 14:
“(At the talks of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan with the head of the office of the CCP Foreign Affairs Committee Yang Jiechi in Rome, the American delegation directly and unequivocally stated our concern about China ’ s support for Russia and the consequences that any such support would have in terms of China ’ s relations not only with us, but also with other countries around the world, including our allies and the Indo-Pacific. in the region."
It seems that the press Secretary of the American foreign Ministry speaks on behalf of not only the United States, but also India, Vietnam, Indonesia and other countries that allegedly act against China, providing support to Russia, thus misleading the public.
And not only this – earlier, the American media, namely the newspaper The Wall Street Journal and CNN, spread a message that Russia allegedly asked China for military assistance for a special operation in Ukraine.
This information, following the press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov denied the Ambassador of China to the United States Qin Gang.
The diplomat stressed that Beijing does not provide weapons and ammunition to any of the parties to the conflict, making every effort to resolve the crisis.
According to the Chinese newspaper Global Times, if China really puts pressure on Russia, it will undermine relations between Beijing and Moscow and sabotage mutual trust, which will be a huge strategic loss for both sides.
“This is what the US wants and is happy to see.
But how can Beijing and Moscow allow such an evil stunt to succeed? <... > Russia is an independent major power, and China has no power to influence its decision on Ukraine, which Moscow considers a matter of “life and death, ” the article says.
China not only did not follow the lead of the United States, but also went on the offensive: the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China Zhao Lijian accused Washington of spreading disinformation against China on the Ukrainian issue, pursuing malicious goals and demanded the opening of American biological laboratories operating in Ukraine for independent research by international experts.
And about how the strengthening of the collective sanctions pressure of the West on Moscow and Beijing will affect the further development of Russian-Chinese relations, Wang Yi clearly explained:
“They are independent and independent, based on non-alignment with the blocs, the absence of confrontation and are not aimed at third parties, they also do not tolerate outside interference and provocations.
No matter how threatening the international situation may be, China and Russia will maintain their strategic resolve and continue to promote comprehensive partnership and strategic engagement in the new era.
The rock solid unity of Russia and China is an important stabilizing factor in maintaining regional and international peace and security in the midst of a shaky and constantly changing international environment. ”
In turn, his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov notes that relations between Russia and China have reached an unprecedented high level.
And that's not the limit.
“Now, of course, I think that this interaction will be strengthened, because in conditions when the West is simply rudely undermining all the foundations on which the international system is based, of course, we need to think about how the two great powers still continue to be in this world, ” the Russian Foreign Minister added.
India
No matter what Ned Price says, India has its own opinion of what is happening.
The American edition of Vox notes that the confrontation between the Russian Federation and the United States on the Ukrainian issue puts India in a difficult position, but the authorities of the country in this situation seek to maintain long-term relations with Moscow.
The author of the article Jen Kirby draws attention to the fact that during the Cold War, India adhered to the tactics of non-alignment and preservation of sovereignty, and, although the country ’ s foreign policy has changed since then, the idea of   autonomy is still embedded in its foundation.
Balancing between the two centers of power requires complex calculations from New Delhi, but such a strategy is in its interests: warm relations with the United States and sanctions pressure from the West do not prevent trade with Russia (moreover, the Indian authorities are developing a new foreign trade strategy to preserve the volume of exports and imports to Russia in the context of the crisis around Ukraine), negotiate the purchase of oil at a discount and closely cooperate in the military sphere (2 / 3 of the Indian arms market is Russian Federation products that require further maintenance).
The updated program of military-technical cooperation is designed for 10 years, until 2031.
There are a lot of areas and joint projects.
I do not think, I can even say that I am sure that the current situation will not affect or affect our military-technical cooperation in a minimal way, because many Russian companies working in the military-industrial complex in the field of cooperation with India have long been under unilateral sanctions from the United States, primarily.
And the expansion of restrictions, which was caused by the situation in Ukraine, does not fundamentally change anything.
As for the deliveries of the S-400 systems, they are going according to plan, and the restrictions that are additionally imposed on us now will not affect the supply and completion of this contract in any way, "Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said.
To further strengthen trade cooperation, the parties are considering the possibility of abandoning mutual settlements from the dollar and the euro and switching to rubles, rupees, and yuan.
Payments directly in national currencies were practiced by the USSR and India from the 1970s to 1992 in the conditions of the cold war and anti-Soviet sanctions of the United States.
On March 15, Indian Foreign Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar, speaking before the upper house of parliament (Rajya Sabha), stressed that the position of the state on the Ukrainian conflict is unchanged and consistent: it calls for the immediate cessation of all hostilities and considers dialogue the only possible way to achieve peace.
“India understands not only the objectives of the operation itself, but also the origins of the security situation in Europe, all the circumstances of Russian-Ukrainian relations in recent years and decades.
This is one of the reasons that India is now taking a fairly balanced position in relation to the aggravation, ” Alipov said.
India needs a strong Russia that will help maintain the balance of power in Asia, Vox explains.
The rest of Asia
The determination not to succumb to Western pressure in the situation with the Ukrainian events was shown not only by such political and economic giants as China and India, but also by smaller countries of the Asian region.
Japanese media were surprised to find that the vast majority of ASEAN member states are neutral on the Ukrainian issue, and some even understand Russia ’ s actions.
The authorities of Myanmar do not consider the special operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine as an aggression.
The official representative of the military authorities of Myanmar, General Zo Min Tun, said that Moscow has rightly put forward demands to ensure its own security - the US approach to the Russian borders can be considered as an attempt to undermine the sovereignty of the Russian Federation, and Ukraine acts exclusively in the interests of the bloc of Western countries.
Vietnam and Laos abstained in the UN vote on the anti-Russian resolution of the West.
Both of these countries, which have close ties with Russia in the field of supplies of military equipment and survived the horrors of war, do not want to arrange a political siege against Moscow.
The online edition of the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce and Industry published an official position on the Ukrainian issue: “Ukraine first betrayed a close country to Russia in favor of its older brother (USA – ed.), but when the trouble happened, no one helped her.
Ukrainians once had the opportunity to choose and determine the direction of national development.
Unfortunately, they have made mistake after mistake, leaving the sovereignty and national security of their country in the hands of the collective West.
Indonesia and Thailand, the largest ASEAN players in terms of population and economic potential, also decided to take a neutral position, which in November 2022 will become the organizers of the G20 summit and the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), respectively, and Russia is a member of both these integration associations.
On March 3, ASEAN issued a statement of deep concern about the situation in Ukraine, not a word about Russia in the text at all, not to mention any criticism against it for the current situation.
The only member of the Association who made tough anti-Russian statements is Singapore, which greatly surprised the partners.
“For Singapore, the Russian special operation in Ukraine is not tangible at all.
Today, Singapore has no security problems.
However, there is fear that if one country is allowed to “bare ” its fangs and attack another, it could lead to a threat to Singapore ’ s security in the future.
Of course, this is primarily referring to China ’ s ambitious aspirations.
Villahari Koshikan, a former senior Singaporean diplomat, said: “There are still many people in Malaysia who still call Singapore a ‘ lost island ’.
Such an unpleasant prospect, in addition to the general orientation towards the United States and the West, pushes Singapore to conduct a line on the situation in Ukraine that generally falls out of the ASEAN general chorus, ” explains the Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun.
In general, the pro-Russian position on the special operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine was not only officials, but also users of social networks of the south-eastern countries.
The Indian edition of India Narrative identifies two interrelated factors that led to this picture:
1.
the traditional tendency towards non - interference in the internal affairs of other countries and neutrality towards distant States;
2.
the geopolitical consequences of military action and the attendant concern caused by the sense of insecurity of small countries from large neighbors who pursue their foreign and defense policies based on fabricated history.
Russia will not take the initiative in establishing relations with the West, said Sergey Lavrov.
Russia has long had no hope for the West, but the light has not converged on it.
Russia after the Crimean events increased the pace and scale of cooperation with other regions of the world, and very effectively, as shown by the study of the international audit and consulting network FinExpertiza: the trade turnover of Russia with countries that did not support Western sanctions, amounted to about 46% in 2021.
“Russia has many reliable partners not only in the post-Soviet space, but also in China, Southeast Asia, and African countries.
This is a huge, promising market, while not torn apart by such contradictions as in Europe.
The fruits of this partnership and cooperation are more than obvious, ” Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev wrote in the Telegram channel.

Title:

Content: India’s Long Infatuation with Russia Must End

Seven months after China and Russia announced their "no limits" partnership, the two countries seem closer than ever. In the face of growing Chinese belligerence, this augurs ill for India, which should urgently reconsider its long-standing diplomatic and strategic dependence on a weakening Russia.

NEW DELHI – During a parliamentary debate in April, I expressed my concerns about India’s relationship with Russia. My words were met with grim-faced silence. But the events of the last five months have only strengthened my case.

The debate was on the Ukraine war. While deploring India’s reluctance to call a Russian shovel a spade, I acknowledged that India has historically depended on the Kremlin for defense supplies and spare parts, and appreciated Russia’s long-standing support on vital issues like Kashmir and border tensions with China and Pakistan. But the Ukraine war and Western sanctions had weakened Russia considerably, I noted. The ban on semiconductor chips, for example, had significantly eroded its ability to produce advanced electronics and defense goods that form the basis of India’s dependence.

Worse still, I argued, the war had highlighted and reinforced Russia’s reliance on China as its principal global partner – a relationship that would intensify as Russia grew weaker. India could then scarcely depend on the Kremlin to counter Chinese aggression, exemplified by the People’s Liberation Army’s territorial encroachments and killing of 20 Indian soldiers in June 2020.

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https://prosyn.org/ZJ1VRP5

Russia will support India against China due to national self-interest.

Title:

Content: English Edition
| E-Paper
Search
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    Russia will support India in a stand-off against ally China. Here's why

    Synopsis

    Not that sentiment plays no role in relations between nations. It does. The immense soft power that the West wields over nations like India colours the discourse, and could even impede rational pursuit of the national interest. So how does the national self-interest of Russia, China and the US play out vis-à-vis India?

    Modern chess evolved from the game Indians called chaturanga, meaning four angas or anatomical parts. The four elements of the ancient Indian army were the infantry, the cavalry, the elephantry and the chariots. Moving pieces to gain advantage, anticipating the opponent’s countermoves, is the nub of the game.

    Geopolitics is a lot like playing chess. You position your pieces to gain advantage, not because you like or dislike any particular piece. You could sacrifice the queen, if that is the path to victory, as unsentimentally as you would take the opponent’s rook. It is that lack of sentiment that many people fail to appreciate when they reach facile conclusions on the relations between nations. In the popular mind, Indo-Russian relations are about Raj Kapoor songs and lingering gratitude for the Soviet navy’s interception of the US 7th Fleet’s Task Force 74 as it moved towards the Bay of Bengal, to threaten India during the 1971 war in East Pakistan.

    In the same vein of humanising international relations, many conclude that Russia’s indebtedness to China for its support during the ongoing Ukraine war, economically and politically, would rupture Russia’s support for India in the face of Chinese aggression. Whatever the sentiment, Russia would continue to support India. Because that is in Russia’s own interest.

    National Interest…
    Not that sentiment plays no role in relations between nations. It does. The immense soft power that the West wields over nations like India colours the discourse, and could even impede rational pursuit of the national interest. So how does the national self-interest of Russia, China and the US play out vis-à-vis India?

    The expansion of Nato to include assorted former Soviet bloc countries has been an attempt to underline Russia’s loss of salience as a global power. The West loved Boris Yeltsin and his chums, who not just disbanded the Soviet Union, but also eviscerated Russia’s economy by handing over valuable economic assets to their cronies — the so-called oligarchs —as well as by failing to put in place a functional system of governance and regulation, without which a market cannot function.

    Vladimir Putin put an end to this dissolution of Russian power, when he took office in 2000. He even sought Nato membership for Russia, a request that was dismissed out of hand by the West. It was only after Nato decided to offer membership to Georgia and Ukraine that Putin turned actively hostile to the West. He attacked Georgia in 2008, putting paid to any plan for Georgia to join Nato. In 2014, when a pro-West popular uprising threw out a pro-Russian regime in Ukraine, Putin moved in, to annex Crimea, which, till 1954, had been part of Russia, and hosts the base of Russia’s warm water navy.

    Extending Nato to Ukraine would bring Nato missiles to Russia’s borders. As it is, extension of Nato to Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia has brought St Petersburg within the range of short-range Nato missiles. The Cuban missile crisis, it may be recalled, had been about the US stomping into the ground Cuba’s sovereign right to place missiles of any nation it befriends on its territory. No power allows hostility that amounts to an existential threat to thrive in the immediate neighbourhood.

    By forcing Russia to docilely accept Nato missiles in Ukraine, the West wanted to tell Russia and the world that Russia no longer matters, despite all its nukes. It is this that Russia opposes, primarily, in its action against Ukraine. For the US, its geopolitical rival of significance is China. It is to contain China that George W Bush gave India its nuclear deal, thereby releasing India from assorted technology denial regimes, imposed originally to rid India of its nuclear ambitions. India continues to be a significant ally in the Asia-Pacific region for the US, in its quest to keep China in check. Hence its membership of the Quad. China does not want to be the sole focus of western hostility. Its interests are served by the West having to commit some of its men and materiel to Russia.

    That calls for retaining Russia as a significant geopolitical power. That is why China supports Russia over Ukraine.

    …Not Sentiment

    It is in India’s interest to retain Russia as a global power centre. The alternative is to confront the dual hegemony of the world by the US and China. Given China’s aggressive claims on Indian territory, that would redound to abject dependence on the US to resist China, scrapping India’s hopes for strategic autonomy.

    China wants Russia as a power centre that would consume the West’s attention and resources. Russia wants to retain its own geopolitical relevance. It has not invaded Ukraine and taken China’s help to give up that relevance. Just as the West gains by propping up India as a counterweight to China in Asia, Russia also gains by India’s ability to stem China’s rise to become the principal countervailing force against the US.

    In other words, the interests of Russia and the West converge in keeping India alive as a viable counterweight to China. China’s desire to have Russia as another pole of global power implicitly entails acceptance of India’s role as a counterweight to itself.

    Probably, China would count that as a pawn sacrifice.

    Views expressed are author's own

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Title:

Content: Follow Us:

Putin visiting India: Is it strategic balancing?

By Major General S.B. Asthana
With heated exchanges between the US and Russia due to heavy concentration of troops in Ukraine border scheduled for talks between both, Russias growing dependency on China due to sanctions from West, and Indian tilt towards the US with inclusion in Quad, the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India on December 6, appears to be viewed differently by different world players. Even in domestic debates, the public anger due to Chinese intrusion in Ladakh and growing partnership of Russia and China, indicates that the visit is sensitive in context of international geopolitical scenario; hence will require a delicate strategic balancing including text of joint statement, if issued at the end of the visit. Notwithstanding the above, the visit is a scheduled 21st India-Russia Annual Summit, which couldnt take place earlier due to coronavirus pandemic, there are many justified reasons to continue with 'Indo-Soviet Friendship Treaty (1971)' matured into 'Strategic Partnership (2000)', which has stood the test of time till date, even during ongoing rough relations between China and India.

Why Russia Matters to India Despite Chinese Embrace?

Despite Indian effort for Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing and SIPRI indicating significant 33 per cent decrease in import of military hardware by India in recent years, it remains heavily dependent on Russian technology, maintenance, procurement of hardware and spares. For many decades Russians have been collaborating with India in its indigenous manufacturing programs and were amenable to transfer of technology, which India was finding difficult to get from others. It includes some major systems like nuclear-powered submarines, warships/frigates, nuclear reactors, space programmes and flagship projects like Brahmos.

The impending visit, besides deal to commence indigenous manufacturing of AK 203 Kalashnikov rifles, may see some forward movement in collaboration in manufacturing (including transfer of technology of very short range air defence missile systems (VSHORADS), twin engine helicopters to replace Cheetah and Chetak, upgradation of inventory of MIG-29 and Sukhoi aircrafts. S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system which India had signed in 2018 for $5.43 billion is a done deal, and the threat of CAATSA is unlikely to have any impact on delivery schedule. It was chosen because it was most suitable to Indian requirement at that point of time. There are also speculations of approximately ten agreements to be signed between the two countries, which could include reciprocal exchange of logistics Agreement and 10-year military technical agreement, besides Two plus Two dialogue to strengthen existing strategic partnership. While the US may be amenable to a waiver on CAATSA for S-400, in view of common China challenge, but further deals may create some new friction points in strengthening of Indo-US relations.

On strategic context, Russia continues to be a favourable P5 member in UN and continues to support India in various multilateral organisations like the UN, SCO, BRICS on crucial issues. It's a technological powerhouse, with one of the largest producer of military hardware, producing rugged equipment suited for variety of terrain, where Indian forces operate. While its nearness to China, its discomfort with Indian embrace to Quad, growing Indo-US partnership, and hardware sale to Pakistan, forces some of the opinion makers in India to suggest divorcing Russia in favour of US, but such opinions are marred by impracticality, ignorance of Indian hardware dependency on Russia and its track record of reliability of its partnership with India. In its revised Military Strategy document Russia continues to name India as its partner along with China, and has not delayed/defaulted on any hardware support to India, even during standoff with China. The interest of both countries also coincide regarding concerns on export of terror after Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan and resultant humanitarian crisis, which will certainly be a subject of discussion and may find some mention in joint statement.

Reality of Sino-Russian Embrace

The much publicised Sino-Russian embrace by Chinese media and Russian acceptance to go along has been due to economic compulsions due to increasing sanctions from West, common adversary US branding both as competitors in security strategy documents. Objectively an expansionist, aggressive China seeking Sino-centric world order does suit Russia as well, which is looking for multilateral world order. Chinese BRI has already side-lined Eurasian dream, its technological theft like alleged hypersonic technology proliferation and increasing border claims in previously settled border with Tajikistan are not to Russian liking. Russia has made no commitment to back China's misadventure in South China Sea/Himalayas and China has also not made any commitment on Ukraine borders. Reiterating India as a strategic partner may be Moscow's message to US and Beijing both. It is however, impractical to expect Russia criticising China or Pakistan or India discussing Ukraine issue during this visit, due to peculiar geo-political equations, and Russians need for strategic and economic balancing.

Strategic Balancing by India

India and US have commonality of Interest in most issues including tackling China, which has pushed India to become an important global strategic partner of US, by its aggressive designs. There is congruence of interests in most global issues between US and India in the current geo-strategic equation. India stands with US and Quad in context of Indo-Pacific and facing China challenge. India continues to do its best to respond to sensitivities and concerns of the US, at times risking some of its old relationships like Iran. To accommodate US interest India reduced import of oil from Iran, bearing a cost disadvantage, as Iran oil was being imported in Rupee terms, in crude form and attuned to existing refineries in India. India doesn't seem to be repeating the same mistake with Russians, who haven't done anything bilaterally which demands a divorce in mutual relationship. Moreover, military capacity building of India also adds to collective strength of Quad, which is in collective interest.

Lately India is trying to be self-reliant, as well as diversifying procurement from various countries to include US, France, Israel. In last decade the defence procurement from Russia has gradually reduced from over 65 percent approximately to nearly 49 percent and correspondingly increased in favour of the US, Israel and France. There is a noticeable upward trend in purchase of US military hardware, as the year 2020 alone saw a purchase $3.4 billion worth of US military equipment, indicating enough accommodation by India. In a buyers' market US has competitors to include Russia, Israel and France, and every country will make sovereign choice to pick the best deal including India. India has also made modest beginning in exporting Rs 38,000 crore worth of military equipment, as a step towards self-reliance, seeking support of all the partners.

(Major General S.B.Asthana is a strategic and security analyst, a veteran Infantry General. He is the Chief Instructor, United Service Institution of India. The views expressed are personal)

--IANS
asthana/ksk/

Title:

Content: Global News
The world today, during the war in Ukraine.
India is trying to hold the stick in the middle.
You are following the news in the shadow of the Ukraine war.
India is trying to hold the stick in the middle of the World News section, and now we leave you with the full details.
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 18, 2023 12: 22 PM – The Ukrainian war has highlighted India ’ s strategic importance, particularly in terms of relations with Russia and China separately, and its concern not to be drawn into a conflict between world powers.
In a historical review of China ’ s relationship with India:
• Sino-Indian tensions escalated shortly after the founding of the People ’ s Republic of China, when its annexation of Xinjiang and Tibet led to unresolved border disputes.
A quarter-century breakthrough in the name of economic development and cooperation during the height of China ’ s reform era began to evaporate around 2012 with the arrival of new leader Xi Jinping, who implemented an increasingly assertive vision of Chinese foreign policy.
Border tensions have flared, leading to the first combat deaths between the two sides in 45 years, straining ties and prompting India to ban several Chinese tech companies.
Despite high-level talks and a brief meeting between the leaders of the two countries on the sidelines of the G20, tensions, and the possibility of further armed conflict, remain high.
The conflict with China has somehow brought India closer to Washington, but nearly a quarter of Indian adults actually see America as the biggest threat to India.
The Indian people are afraid of being caught in the middle of a conflict between the United States and China that could destabilize regional security and endanger India.
India ’ s membership along with Japan, Australia and the United States, as well as its presence in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, is the biggest indication of the country ’ s desire to carry the baton from the middle.
The Ukrainian War
A large number of Indian adults, about 38 percent, say Russia is responsible for the war in Ukraine, while 26 percent blame the United States and 18 percent blame NATO.
Russia is an indispensable source of ammunition and training, providing about 90 percent of India ’ s military equipment.
Indians are also enthusiastic about their country ’ s decision to buy Russian oil, which is now sold at a discount on world markets.
Indian public support for continuing business as usual with Russia means that the West should not expect a change in the situation anytime soon, and these dynamics, combined with Western efforts to motivate India to play the role of geopolitical counterweight to China, have led Western leaders to tacitly accept continued Russian-Indian military and economic cooperation.
We hope that we have succeeded in conveying the full details of the news in the shadow of the war in Ukraine.
India is trying to hold the stick in the middle.
In God ’ s care and protection.
You may also read.

Title:

Content: New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met visiting Russian president Vladimir Putin at Delhi’s Hyderabad House on Monday evening. Prime Minister said that India-Russia ties are stronger than ever.

Prime Minister Modi added that despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, there has been no change in the relationship between India and Russia. He further pointed out that the two countries cooperated during the COVID-19 crisis too, in the field of vaccine and humanitarian support. "The relation between India and Russia is truly a unique and reliable model of interstate friendship," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

"You (Putin) should be credited for the strategic partnership between our countries for the 3 decades," PM Modi said, acknowledging Russian President Vladimir Putin's role in nurturing the bilateral traditions between India and Russia.

India a great power, time-tested friend: Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia considers India 'a great power' and a 'time tested' friend. "The relations between our nations are growing and I am looking into the futur," Putin added while further asserting his happiness at being in India, saying that he is 'happy to travel to India'.

"Currently mutual investments stand at about 38 million with a bit more investment coming from the Russian side. We cooperate greatly in military and technical sphere like no other country. We develop high technologies together as well as produce in India," Putin said.

This is the first in-person meeting between PM Modi and President Putin after their meeting on the sidelines of BRICS summit in Brazil in 2019 before the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic. Both the leaders are scheduled to hold deliberations to review the prospects of bilateral relations and recalibrate the long standing India-Russia friendship.

"The agenda for the dialogue will cover political and defence issues of mutual interest. The establishment of this new mechanism of two plus two dialogue is expected to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said earlier.

Posted By: Mukul Sharma

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Thursday, 24.03.2022
09: 51 Public administration in Kyrgyz.
"Three ministers will be 'responsible' for ensuring food safety," - the head of the GKNB K.Tashiev
09: 42 Akbar Tursunov: Navruz as a phenomenon of world culture.
Part I
09: 14 "It will be a disaster."
Where will the Central Asian countries take the Internet if Russia is disconnected from the global network?
09: 09 Chief editor "Navalny Live" Baulina killed by missile in Kiev
08: 24 Arabs thank Kadyrov for the spirit of Jihad recreated in Ukraine
08: 19 by brother.
China and India have supported Russia in the Ukraine crisis.
What do they expect to get in return?
8: 16 was a jerk.
Ugly dew-prankers “killed ” the career of the head of the British Ministry of Defense Wallace
Strategic incompetence has always haunted Beijing - Edward Luttwak
08: 01 Russia: Good by, WTO! - V.Katasonov
07: 58 What is the capital city?
And most importantly - why? - A. Bektenova
07: 52 Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright dies of cancer
Storm it: how the accident of the Caspian pipe will affect the energy market of the EU
01: 42 Bread world: what will happen to the global wheat market
Syria wants to be pulled out of the Iranian trench, - I. Subbotin
00: 27 Mohammad Alam Izidyar: "The Taliban could not take the hearts of Afghans"
00: 24 America will have to bite its own tail, - E. Pustovoitova
00: 23 The end of the era of globalization – there is no way back, - V.Kudryavtsev
Wednesday, 23.03.2022
20: 40 Famous Kyrgyz street-field commander Aspekov was imprisoned for 7 years.
Not to be mischievous
20: 34 China without explaining anything removed all its skaters from the world Cup in France
18: 52 Chubais escaped from Russia.
I got it!
18: 45 Bulat Sultanov: "The White House will create a separation barrier between Russia and China in Central Asia"
17: 48 China and Russia today: friendly neutrality.
Ahead of Taiwan
17: 47 US should punish Saudi Arabia for supporting Russia
17: 43 Sky News (USA): Biden continues to disgrace the United States
17: 40 Ukrainian disappointment of Beijing, - Yu.Tavrovsky
15: 37 Putin just announced the transfer of payments for gas from Europe in rubles
14: 40 Mountain Badakhshan.
What are you, knot of Tajik contradictions? - A.Gorokhov
13: 24 To cowards and alarmists, - Erik Khanymamedov
11: 53 What will happen if Russia turns on its counter-sanctions? - V. Tetelmin
11: 41 Poland, with the sanction of Biden, is preparing troops to enter Western Ukraine?
11: 16 Honorary Consul of Estonia in Kyrgyzstan Viktor Kryltsov dies
11: 07 Russians organized tours to Uzbekistan for the sake of issuing Visa and Mastercard cards
11: 03 Teach women only to spoil.
The Taliban *, after a little thought, forbade middle and high school girls to go to school
10: 10 Confused numbers with letters.
Two vice ministers (Tuibaeva and Kurmanbekov) of digital development of Kyrgyzstan dismissed as idlers
10: 05 Kazakhstan weightlifter Nizhat Rakhimov was robbed of the Olympic "gold" -2016.
Allegedly - doping
09: 02 Drug-addicted Taliban, - Y.Makeev
08: 17 On the Leilek section of the Tajik-Kyrgyz border, there is again a fight between border guards.
"Peace" lasted 1 week
08: 10 Died Kazakh actor Yuri Pomerantsev, who became People 's back in 1961!
07: 54 The transition of Saudi Aramco to yuan will be a "real explosion" - Zhang Yugui
04: 16 New social contract in Kazakhstan: what should it be?
04: 10 $500 per barrel: Europe is building an energy scaffold
04: 05 The disappearance of the order that arose after the Cold War leads to the fact that.., - T.Bordachev
03: 14 Nuclear power plants – the path to decarbonization of Kazakhstan
03: 06 Ukraine: who to believe – Biden, Putin or Gogol? - Hamid Dabashi
02: 17 Storm on the Black Sea damaged one of the berths of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium
02: 11 "Square" kulbit.
Is the housing market likely to collapse in Kazakhstan?
Tucker Carlson: We have a right to know what ’ s going on in Ukraine, but our leaders lie to us
00: 08 Union deficit, but not sanctions.
EAEU countries simplify imports, but do not want joint isolation - "K"
Tuesday, 22.03.2022
22: 21 In the Tajik Pamir again turned on the Internet
20: 19 Kazakhstan figure skater Shaydorov was not allowed to the world Cup in France.
Because of anti-Russian sanctions?
20: 08 In the battles in Ukraine as a Hero killed a private of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Egemberdi Dorboev
Archive
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CenterAsia |
Brotherly.
China and India have supported Russia in the Ukraine crisis.
What do they expect to get in return?
08: 19 24.03.2022
Russia ’ s military operation in Ukraine provoked the expected harsh reaction of the West.
The United States, the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom adopted several packages of sanctions, including against the financial, energy, transport and technological sectors of the Russian economy.
Following the restriction of the work of Visa and MasterCard payment systems, many foreign companies announced a partial or complete cessation of activities in Russia.
However, not all states supported the sanctions campaign.
Moreover, China and India have already started talking about expanding cooperation with Russia.
"Lenta.ru" understood why the "Asian giants" decided to support the northern neighbor and what they hope to get in return.
Friendship without barriers
Russia has been developing friendly relations with China for almost a decade since Chinese President Xi Jinping took over as chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 2013.
Back in 2019, he said that “over the past 70 years, China-Russia relations have reached an unprecedented high level, ” and described relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin as deeply personal friendship.
In early February, Putin, at the invitation of Xi Jinping, attended the opening of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
The visit was the occasion for full-scale negotiations, as a result of which the parties signed a package of intergovernmental, interdepartmental and commercial documents, as well as agreed to increase the volume of bilateral trade to $250 billion.
Friendship between the two states has no borders, there are no forbidden zones in cooperation, the strengthening of bilateral strategic cooperation is not directed against third countries, is not subject to the influence of a changing international environment and situational changes in third countries.
After Putin announced the start of a special operation in Ukraine on February 24, the Chinese authorities did not condemn the actions of the Kremlin and did not call the operation “invasion ”.
However, Xi Jinping called on Russia and Ukraine to sit down at the negotiating table to de-escalate the situation and said that China stands for respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.
Recently, the situation in eastern Ukraine has changed dramatically and attracts increased attention of the international community.
Xi Jinping
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
Nevertheless, after the introduction of Western sanctions against Russia, the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the PRC Zhao Lijian said about the harm of economic restrictions in the settlement of the crisis.
He pointed out that the sanctions imposed created new problems leading to mutual loss and multiple economic losses.
She refrained from condemning Russia ’ s operation in Ukraine when voting in the UN Security Council and India.
The Chinese government continues to be neutral – like China ’ s political leadership, it calls for a cessation of hostilities and a return to diplomatic dialogue, avoiding criticism of Russia ’ s actions.
Special attention to the crisis in Ukraine was drawn by the death of a 22-year-old Indian student in Kharkov.
The incident caused indignation in Indian society, which turned into a demand for the authorities to take immediate measures to organize the evacuation of more than 20,000 Indians who are in Ukraine.
Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin
Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin
Photo: Mikhail Klimentyev / RIA Novosti
Later, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and discussed the issue of the export of Indian citizens from Ukraine.
Putin assured that all instructions were given to the military, and they are doing everything possible to ensure the safe removal of foreigners from the combat zone and their return to their homeland.
The prompt reaction of the Russian authorities and the promise to investigate the death of the student allowed to smooth out the possible consequences and maintain friendly relations with the Indian side.
Not the last role, however, was played by the pragmatic attitude of official Delhi: Western sanctions and their attempts to isolate Russia economically open up new attractive short-term and long-term prospects not only for China, but also for India.
The Asian Giants
Today, China is Russia ’ s key economic partner.
The growth of trade in ten years was about 165 percent.
Trade turnover in 2021 increased by 35.9 percent and amounted to $146 billion compared to 2020.
The plans of Russia and China are to increase it to 200 billion by 2024.
However, there is a significant imbalance in the economic relations between the two countries.
While China accounted for about 18 percent of total trade with Russia, Russia ’ s share of Chinese trade was just over two percent.
Under sanctions and a ban from Western countries on the supply of a number of high-tech goods to Russia (microelectronics, marine and navigation equipment), military and dual-use products, aircraft and spare parts, goods for use in the aviation and space industry, equipment and technologies for oil refining, as well as reducing demand for Russian energy resources, this imbalance will increase.
Photo by Shizuo Kambayashi / AP
According to Vasily Kashin, director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Higher School of Economics, the restrictions imposed on Russia will make China our country ’ s main trading partner for decades to come, which will inevitably affect coordination in the military and political spheres.
“Everything will be pretty clear here.
The situation, in which we will depend on one China, will require some policy adjustments from us, ” the expert believes.
It is impossible to say that we will be a "junior partner", but we will have to take into account the interests of China to a much greater extent than before, and this will be expressed in some joint actions in the military sphere - most likely, in the region of Northeast Asia.
Vasily Kashin
Director of CKEMI NRU HSE
In such circumstances, the partnership with India, guided by its own aspirations, which on a global and regional scale often do not contradict the interests of Russia, becomes especially significant for Russia.
For both Moscow and New Delhi, bilateral Russian-Indian relations have an independent value.
Today, India is a leading importer of fertilizers, oil and vegetable oil, and the Russian side is one of the main suppliers of these goods.
In addition to hydrocarbons and fertilizers, the Indian side buys from Russia products of the military-industrial complex and nuclear energy.
In turn, India exports to Russia pharmaceutical, agricultural and other goods.
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However, trade between the states is significantly inferior to Russian-Chinese cooperation.
Last year, it amounted to about $12 billion, which was a record figure in the entire history of trade relations between India and Russia.
Nevertheless, Putin and Modi during the meeting in New Delhi within the framework of the Russian-Indian summit "Russia - India: Partnership for Peace, Progress and Prosperity" assessed the volume of bilateral trade as "not corresponding to the potential of strategic partnership" and stated the need to intensify efforts to increase mutual trade to achieve the target of 30 billion by 2025.
Not canceled this desire and new sanctions, which significantly complicated for India the system of payments with Russia.
Russia ’ s disconnection from SWIFT paralyzed about $500 million for goods already sent to Russia.
As reported by The Hindu newspaper, the Indian government has already ordered the creation of a group to study the impact of Western sanctions against Russia on the Indian economy.
It included representatives of the Ministries of Food and Consumer Affairs, Fertilizer, Trade, Foreign Affairs, Oil and Natural Gas.
According to Alexei Kupriyanov, a senior researcher at IMEMO RAS, Russia previously played the role of a mediator in relations between India and China, at the same time a mediator of such a force that helped to find mutual understanding between states in the event that relations were deadlocked.
Now objective circumstances make possible the scenario of closer rapprochement between Russia and China.
The Indians are extremely concerned that, as a result of Western sanctions, Russia may even closer to China, and are trying to prevent this.
That is why they do not plan to curtail further cooperation with Russia - because it will only push Russia into the Chinese arms
Alexey Kupriyanov
Senior Researcher, IMEMO RAS
Ignoring threats
Despite the attractiveness of the voids that have formed in the Russian economic space, both Beijing and New Delhi have close trade relations with Washington.
Thus, the United States is the third largest trading partner of China after ASEAN and the EU (if you evaluate not by individual countries, but by macro-regions).
755.6
billion dollars was the trade turnover between China and the United States in 2021
More extensive economic ties allow the United States to require India and China to comply with the sanctions regime against Russia, since both countries depend on foreign technologies, on Western intellectual property, on the supply of components and developments of European and American companies.
The White House is already considering the possibility of imposing sanctions against India because of the import of Russian weapons and the position regarding the special operation of Russia in Ukraine.
India is now a really important security partner for the United States, and we appreciate that.
I hope that the leadership of India will decide that it is time to distance itself from Russia
Donald Lou
Assistant Secretary of State
According to Vasily Kashin, director of the HSE CCEMI, the abuse by the American side of its role in world finance can cause a negative reaction from the Indian authorities, who "very strictly protect the independence of their foreign policy."
India does not see itself as a "junior partner" of the United States, who is told who to be friends with and with whom not.
Attempts at harsh and brutal pressure will cause an extremely negative reaction
Vasily Kashin
Director of CKEMI NRU HSE
Jen Psaki
Jen Psaki
Photo by Patrick Semansky / AP
Similar threats are being made against China.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki promised China “significant consequences ” from the United States for violating sanctions against Russia because of the situation in Ukraine.
However, the Chinese government has repeatedly stated that it does not accept unilateral economic pressure and the application of the principle of extraterritoriality.
When considering the issue of Ukraine and relations with Russia, the American side must strictly and accurately take into account the concerns of China and prevent the infringement of the rights and interests of the Chinese side.
Zhao Lijian
official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China
Kashin noted that imposing sanctions on China is an order of magnitude more dangerous than imposing sanctions on Russia.
He explained that the Chinese economy controls many key production chains and is a key market for many American businesses, which will require much more careful sanctions pressure on China.
The British newspaper The Guardian, citing sources, reports that the Chinese authorities have already decided to send economic assistance to Russia against the background of a special operation in Ukraine.
The source stressed that Beijing is serious about cooperation with Moscow, since such an initiative allegedly comes from Xi Jinping, who with Putin “shares the opinion of the United States as a despot. ”
Photo by Bikas Das / AP
It does not want to refuse cooperation with Russia and India.
Thus, countries are considering the possibility of switching to trade settlements in rubles and rupees.
The new mechanism will allow Indian exporters to receive payment for their goods in national currency instead of dollars and euros.
It is planned that the Russian bank for this purpose should open an account in the Indian, and the Indian - in the Russian.
* * *
Attempts to exert economic pressure on countries actually translate the confrontation into a political plane.
The economic well-being of the state becomes the subject of bargaining, which has to be sacrificed as a sign of political loyalty to this or that bloc of countries.
Both China and India consider themselves exclusively independent players in the international space.
The authorities of these countries do not want to obey the political will of the United States, to lose the benefit of cooperation with Russia and consider offensive instructions dictating how and on what conditions to build relations with other states.
Russia will remain a strategic partner for both China and India.
However, in the face of Russia ’ s loss of other alternatives, cooperation will be disproportionate.
The Russian side is more likely to retain its role as a mediator in India-China relations.
India is not interested in the loss of a supplier of goods of the military-industrial complex and in the rapid rapprochement of Russia with China.
China, in turn, is not interested in breaking the Russian-Indian cooperation in order to prevent India from rapprochement with the United States.
21 March 22
Source - lenta.ru
Permanent address of the article - https: / / centrasia.org / newsA.php? st = 1648099140
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