Close ties with Russia

DURING his recent visit to Germany, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar again justified India’s close ties with Russia. Much to the consternation of the West, New Delhi has refused to scale down its engagement with Moscow. Jaishankar observed that in the history of post-Independence India, Russia/USSR had never hurt its interests. The ties among various powers have seen ups and downs over the decades, but India’s relationship with Russia has remained stable and friendly.

Two factors — military hardware and energy supplies — are cited to explain India’s reluctance to criticise Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. These certainly have had a critical bearing on the country’s perspective, even as the track record of enduring bilateral ties is often disregarded. For 67 years, Russia/USSR has backed India with its veto in the UN Security Council to prevent a discussion on the ‘India-Pakistan question’ regarding Kashmir. The dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971 happened partly due to India’s Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation with the Soviet Union and Moscow’s threat to attack China if it tried to intervene.

Two years of the Ukraine war have seen India lending Russia diplomatic support. The New Delhi Declaration, framed during the India-hosted G20 Summit, was one such example. The West was satisfied that its stand was incorporated, while Russia was happy at not being named in the text. This ability to balance the aspirations of both sides makes India an ideal candidate to mediate in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. But as Jaishankar said, India will not take the initiative in this regard. For now, India will be content to expand its unique relationship with Russia into newer domains, while being confident that there would be no rancour or backstabbing.