Binding of Indian-Russian relationships after

Sino-Indian 1962 war.

Introduction
A recent meeting held in New Delhi (Dec, 2014) between the Indian prime
minister and the Russian President, with prime focus to strengthen the
bilateral trade. Till now, bilateral trade of worth $9.51 billion have taken
place in the past. Both countries have set target to achieve trade as high as
$30 billion. According to Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, the five
major components of Indo-Russian strategic partnerships are: defense, civil
nuclear energy, space, politics and anti-terrorism [1].Now India aims
to bolster its sixth component which has remain dormant for quite a long
time - economic growth.
India is second highest importer of ammunitions (from Russia). On the
diplomatic side, all this being done is good in this capitalist world to boost
trade, but on the other side have the Indo-Soviet relations improved since
the Indian liberalization/Soviet disintegration or still on the stage after its
strong ties with the west?

Background
Following Indias independence, the nation then had a chance to frame its
own foreign policy. Under the leadership of Jawahar Lal Nehru, India decided
to follow the five year plan strategy, same as that initiated by USSR under
Joseph Stalins influence in 1920s but under the path of a socialist economy.
Jawahar Lal Nehru, during his course of graduation from England, got
influenced by the ideology of Fabian socialism. India was stirred up by the
Soviets economic development although it was a part of non-aligned
movement. Both the countries shared the same global views such as
multilateralism under UN, anti-apartheid, anti-racism.
After the Britishers left India in the deserted state, India was for sure
looking for an alternative path of development, not the capitalist, but much
more conservative one.
India was reluctant to turn to USSR. Why? India was in a desperate need of
external assistance after 1950s, to revive its economy to global standards.
The western denial to support India and on the top of that the US aided
Pakistan for its military extension, left it with no option but to seek the

support from the first world power The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
[2]

USA vs USSR
US
and
USSR
were
the
two
superpowers
back
then.
The third world countries after being liberated from the clutches of colonial
power of the Europeans, wanted to establish themselves in this new global
sphere.
USSR, on the other hand wanted to expand. The country was founded on the
ideology based on Marxism, according to which the working class or the
proletariat and the capitalists or the bourgeoisie, which were in constant
conflict with each other, a stage would come when the proletariat would
finally
overthrow
the
capitalists.
In accord with this idea, it was giving military, economic aid to the several
newly independent nations. Military in terms of weapons and economic in
terms
of
trade
arrangements
of
their
favor.[3]

The Split
Since 1947, India and Pakistan constantly had been in tussle with each other
over the issue of Kashmir region. In 1954, USA announced its support to
Pakistan in terms of supplying weapons, which alerted India.
During the late 1950s Sino-Soviet relations started worsening, mainly
because of:

Chinas deviation from Marxist Leninism ideology,

USSRs withdrawing of technical experts from China (which were set-up
by Soviet Union, for heavy industrialization of China by following the
Soviet-Centralized-Economic-Development). [4]

By 1961, the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual

Assistance came to an end. [5]
Moreover India had border issues both on its west and east i.e. Pakistan and
China respectively.
It was only after the events of Sino-Indo war of 1962, USSR actively started
aiding India in military and defense terms.

Treaty of Peace, friendship and Cooperation

With the rising tensions between Indian and Pakistan, following
the operation searchlight and 1971 Bangladesh genocide, with US
sided Pakistan, a treaty of peace, friendship and cooperation was signed
between India and Soviet Union, in August of 1971. [6]
India, Pakistan and China were the three emerging Asian powers. After
1970s there had been a mutual understanding among the nation of US and
China to bond with each other. On one hand US wanted to bring an end to
the Vietnam war and China wanted a support to get away from the
resistance of Soviet Union. [7]
The only option left for USSR was to form friendly relations with India.
Finally when the third Indo-Pakistani war broke out, it was only because India
had Soviet Unions back, not only was she (India) able to win over US aided
Pakistan, but also drove the army from East Pakistan, liberated the BengaliUrdu people, and a free nation Bangladesh was carved out from East
Pakistan.
Pakistan had full support from the west under the Southeast Asia Treaty
Organization (SEATO).
Soviet Union was heavily packed with arms and weapons and drove away the
threat posed by American task force in the Indian Ocean.
In 1973, Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev first visit to India was received
with a warm welcome. By late 1970s India was trading profusely with Soviet
Union, which had become its top most largest trading partner.

After 1980s Soviet economy started dwindling. It accumulated huge

amounts of debt, on account of financing the cold war and other third world
countries, which had to pay be paid. On the top of that between 1982 and
1985, 3 political changes took places in the leadership 3 of the Soviet
leaders - Brezhnev, followed by Andropov and Cherneyenko had died. [8]
USSR, which was considered the frontier in technology, came to a state that
it could not pay its own debt. The then Indian Prime minister Rajiv Gandhi
had to negotiate with US president Ronald Reagan to help India get the
cray supercomputer. This was the state of Soviet Union that it couldnt
sustain to help India in build its computer.
It was during these tough times, the friendship between the two countries
reached to all time high and many agreements were achieved to expand
cooperation on different sectors like economic, cultural, scientific and
technology. Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi travelled to USSR 4 times

during 80s 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989. Agreements were signed in 1985,
1986 and 1988 to boost bilateral trade between the two nations and Indian
industrial, telecommunications and transportation projects to be funded by
Soviet
Union.
Not only this, the USSR also provided with credits worth 1 billion and 3 billion
rubbles, for purchase of machinery and goods made by the Soviets.

The era after disintegration.

After the Soviet disintegration, India was in a severe economic crisis. She
was just left with $ 0.75 billion dollars, barely enough to sustain its one week
imports. She had to take the wests support and put an end to its much
socialist type economy in order to revive its economy. This situation
happened around to be at the same time after the cold war ended and USSR
disintegrated.
But still after these events India was able to keep steady relations, with the
newly formed Russia.
Just at the turn of 1993 (January), Russian president Boris Yeltsins visit to
India marked a new emphasis on the economic ties between the nations. The
new treaty signed was to give boost to Indias space organization ISRO, by
providing cryogenic engines worth US$350 million. This was revival of the
1971 treaty Friendship and Cooperation.
However Russians had to cancel most of their deals in the same year, during
the summers of 1993, due to pressure from United States, which believed
that the treaty signed was just a mask to provide aid to India with engine and
technology and the real motive was to develop ballistic missile stage for
launch of rockets which meant rising of nuclear power within Asia.
Even after the strict sanctions imposed by the States, Russia was still able to
help India by supplying 7 cryogenic stages and 1 ground mock-up stage
instead of 5 cryogenic stage. [9]
During the winter of 1994, eight agreements were signed between India and
Russia, thus improving their bilateral trades. From defense, outer space and
technical cooperation to merchant shipping and common protection of
investments, the agreements were signed between the nations by Russian
prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin (and not president Boris Yeltsin )
and Indian Prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. The eight agreements
signed aimed at suppressing drug trafficking and smuggling of illegal
weapons.

New millennia New vigor

By the turn of the century, India had emerged as one of the rising major
power in Asia, the other being China. She was no longer seen as the most
socio-backward nations of the word as compared to the state when left by
the Britishers. With the tests of Pokhran II, it had established itself as an
emerging nuclear power.
With the signing of Declaration on Strategic Partnership between India and
Russia in the autumn of 2000, the two countries were able to rejuvenate the
relations, resulting in the announcement of the annual Russia-India summit.
The Declaration on Strategic Partnership has been built on five major
components which includes:

politics,

defense,

civil nuclear energy,

anti-terrorism co-operation and

space.

Russia have always supported India on getting a permanent seat, be it

United Nations Security Council, (UNSC) , Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation ( (APEC) or Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).On
political front, UN, BRICS, G20 are one of few groupings, where both
countries have cooperated closely.[10]
During Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putins visit in 2007, India became
a major partner of the Russian satellite navigation system GLONASS. He
was invited as the chief guest on the occasion of Republic day.
In October 2008, a pact was signed, on joint lunar exploration. In fact
Chandrayaan-2, a lunar exploration mission, was proposed both by the
Roscosmos and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). It was followed by
another pact to build civilian nuclear reactors
A pact on five major deals most importantly on nuclear energy, defense and
space cooperation was finalized, during the official visit of Vladimir Putin,
then as Russian Prime Minister in March 2010.

A Forum on Trade and Investment to promote trade, investment and

economic cooperation between the two countries have also been set-up. The
first Forum was held in New Delhi in February 2007. [11]
Since then a number of agreements have been made to keep the relation
strong, alive and revive it back as once it was.
Amidst all these, India should also consider few facts.

Indias military requirements are heavily dependent on Russian

supplies.

India needs to maintain a healthy distance from west, if it truly is a

part of the Non Aligned Movement. But its recent inclination towards
west and the so called Look West Act East policy is on some
different terms, given the growing distance between U.S.A and Russia,
Indias heavy dependence on Russia for arms, the plan can backfire
from both the sides.

As past changes, so do the decisions. India had good ties with the
USSR, not because Soviet wanted to aid India out of generosity,
because both countries needed each other. Soviet wanted to expand in
South Asia considering the events of Cold War, given US assistance to
Pakistan, which in itself posed a severe threat to India. Given the
vicious circumstances, both countries had no better options but to
approach
each
other.
But with times changing, Russia, one of the biggest arms exporter, is
supplying arms not only to India but Pakistan as well. Looks like
someone is playing a double game.

Indias past with China before the 1961 war, was built on the
Panchsheel treaty, which completely boomeranged with the Chinese
attack.
Before
entering
into any diplomatic relations, be it the plans for the formation strategic
triangle between the three countries (Russia-China-India), India should
be able to recognize the pitfalls as well.

Reflecting back with the trust built upon and keeping an optimistic mind, we
should hope that this comradeship between both the countries shall further
strengthen without a tint of self-centeredness and take this tie up another

level so as it can also act as a revolutionary step in the path of vision 2020India.

Facts to know:

[12]

The first bilateral trade was signed in 1953.

Even after Soviet disintegration, India's export to USSR were higher as

compared to USA, albeit marginally. USSR - Rs 5255 vs USA Rs 5245
crore.

One of the distinguishing feature of the Soviet economic assistance to

India was the interest rate at which USSR credited to India was just 2.5
per cent per annum which were repayable generally over a period of
12 years.

Indias progress towards self-reliance in launching spacecrafts is owed

to Russia. The Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station at
Thiruvananthapuram was established because of support from the
Soviet's.

The experimental launch of satellites Aryabhata, Bhaskara-I and

Bhaskara-II couldnt have been possible without Russias aid.

In spite of the tremendous sanctions by the Clinton Administration, in

the early 1990s, Russia adhered to its agreement with India for the
delivery of the cryogenic engines to ISRO as per the original schedule.

The possibility of the formation of a trilateral alliance between the 3

countries - Russia, China and India, originated, after its endorsement
by Primakov, the then Russian Prime Minister, during his visit to India in

December 1998.

By the year 2017, Russia is likely to build another 16 new reactors, the
other 2 in the process of completion in Kudankulam, if a mutually
satisfactory understanding is reached on the legislation on liability
enacted by the Indian Parliament.

India has invested approx $2.7 billion in Sakhalin-1, an offshore oil

exploration project and purchased Russias Imperial Energy Company
for $ 2.5 billion as a part of the non - nuclear energy field.

REFERENCES
1. http://orientalreview.org/2015/01/21/russias-strategic-shift-to-eastcontinues-now-india/
2. http://mainstreamweekly.net/article3704.html
3. http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/21cc/utopia/methods1/bourgeoisie
1/bourgeoisie.html
4. http://www.jrnyquist.com/Sino-Soviet_Split.html
5. http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/ziliao_665539/3602_665543/3604_66
5547/t18011.shtml
6. http://www.outlookindia.com/article/to-understand-pakistan-1947-isthe-wrong-lens/262535
7. http://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/88112.htm
8. http://www.money-zine.com/career-development/leadershipskill/former-russian-leaders/

9. Indian

Missile

Chronology

www.nti.org

(research

paper)

10.
http://www.insightsonindia.com/2015/01/03/4-year-2000-waspivotal-in-the-relationship-between-india-and-russia-examine-why-andalso-throw-light-on-how-relationship-between-two-countries-hasevolved-since-then/
11.
http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2012/02/relations-between-indiaand-russia-a-quick-look/
12.

http://mainstreamweekly.net/article3704.html