Relations Between USA and Russia
Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of area and is one of the most important players in international politics. Vladimir Putin has recently been re-elected to lead Russia for the next 6 years. This is his fourth tenure as the Russian president and the election results point towards his increasing popularity among the Russians. After his re-election as President, Putin has talked about improving ties with the west and the need to not enter into any Arms Race with the west in near future. Donald Trump’s election as president of USA had led to speculations about improvement in ties between these two superpowers. However, a string of sanctions imposed by the USA along with the allegations of meddling in internal elections of the USA by Russian authorities has ensured that the relations between these two Cold war rivals remain on a slippery field.
Russia- A Time-Tested Ally
Russia is considered to be one of the strongest as well as a reliable ally of India since the times of Jawaharlal Nehru, who had close ties with the USSR. The USSR played a vital role in developing the industrial infrastructure of India by providing assistance in setting up of numerous industries like Bhilai, HEC, HAL etc. It also helped a great deal in stabilizing the political situation by announcing its support to India on the Kashmir issue and pledging to safeguard its independence at any cost. On the basis of this strong foundation, Indo-Russian ties gradually developed into its present state wherein both countries closely cooperate in various sectors like defence equipment, nuclear energy and petroleum products to name a few. However, there have been reports doing rounds in the media which suggest that the Indo-Russian relations have lost its warmth owing to a change in geopolitical power shifts and various other factors.
The China Factor
The rise of China as a new world superpower can be considered to be one of the most important factors weighing upon the minds of Indian policymakers. In order to counter the aggressive stance of China, India has shifted towards US, Israel and Japan which has irked Russian foreign policymakers. The Russian economy is not in an ideal state and the continuation of Western sanctions has forced Russia to look for new markets for its defence deals and other goods. China, whose economic might is second only to the USA, has proven to be a profitable ally for the Russians. Although, the more alarming development for the Indian side has been the opening up of military trade between Russia and Pakistan. India’s military import from Russia was 67% of the total defence imports in the year 2017. India and Russia have been engaged in many bilateral projects which aim towards the joint production of defence products. The military hardware of the Indian Armed Forces is mostly of Russian origin, which leaves little scope for allowing close connections to flourish between Pakistan with Russia.
Reasons For The Shift In Russia’s Stance
Russia on its part has been arguing that since India has chosen to diversify its military import by buying arms from USA, Israel and France etc., the Russians have decided to look for new markets like Pakistan and China. The ‘One Belt One Road‘ initiative launched by China, which has been categorically rejected by India for transgressing into Pakistan occupied Kashmir, has been supported by Russia which aims to boost its trade with South Asian countries. Russia under the leadership of President Putin has been involved in armed military conflicts in the Middle East, especially in Syria, where it supports President Assad in his fight against ISIS and other anti-Assad forces.This aggressive stance of Putin against ISIS has won him accolades internationally while enabling him to divert focus from the economic stagnation his country is suffering from. There have been unverified reports of Russian authorities having talks with the Taliban militants in order to counter the ISIS. This is in contrast to the Indian stance which rightly considers all forms of terrorism to be equally dangerous. Owing to these factors the Indo-Russian relations seem to have deteriorated in recent times.
The Way Forward
Despite hitting roadblocks, the Indo- Russian relations have passed the test of time in the past and it would be in the best interest of both the countries to strengthen these ties. The USA has long been allocating huge sums of money to Pakistan as an aid to fight against terrorism. It’s no secret that Pakistan has miserably failed in containing the terrorist activities and has been repeatedly accused of providing safe havens to terrorist organizations. In order to counter the threats posed by Pakistan, India needs to work in close cooperation with China, whose influence has grown by leaps and bounds throughout Pakistan. Establishment of a multipolar world order is a common vision for India, China and Russia. In conclusion, instead of relying on untrusted partners India should strategically ally with Russia as well as China in order to realize its dream of becoming a superpower in future.
