RUSSIA PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN ON A VISIT TO INDIA
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited India on December 6, 2021, for the Annual Summit with PM Narendra Modi. During Putin’s visit to India, a number of pacts in the field of economy, defense, science and technology, and trade are expected to be signed. The visit of Russian President Putin coincides with the delivery of the first batch of the S400 air defense systems to India by the end of 2021. Putin’s visit will be preceded by the first 2+2 dialogue of the foreign and defense ministers meeting and a joint military commission.
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN'S: KEY AGENDA
During Putin’s visit to India on December 6, 2021, a number of pacts in the field of economy, defense, science and technology, trade are expected to be signed. The Summit will also witness the renewal of a framework for military-technical cooperation for the next decade (2021-31). A joint commission on technology and science is also likely to be announced. India and Russia are at the stage of finalizing negotiations for the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) which is likely to be signed during the Summit or the first 2+2 dialogue of the foreign and defense ministers meeting. The situation and developments in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover are also expected to be taken up during 2+2 ministerial dialogue and the Summit. In August 2021, PM Modi and Russian President Putin had announced plans to create a permanent channel between India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Russian counterpart Nikolay Patrushev for discussions relating to Afghanistan. The visit of the Russian President coincides with the delivery of the first batch of the S400 air defense systems to India by the end of 2021. India and Russia had signed the contract for S400 air defense systems in October 2018. Besides strategic areas of discussion, the COVID-19 crisis and overall health sector will also be discussed. India is a major production hub for Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIA-RUSSIA TIES
The 21st India-Russia annual summit took place at New Delhi which also included the first 2+2 ministerial dialogue of India’s foreign and defense ministers with their Russian counterparts. This first face-to-face bilateral meeting of the Russian President with any country since the onset of the pandemic signifies that the long-standing relations between the two are still as strong as ever. However, the continuing conflict between Russia and the West and the absence of a thriving commercial relationship between India and Russia are the obstacles in reviving the bilateral partnership between the two.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INDIA AND RUSSIA
Diplomatic Ties: India and Russia are together in multiple forums including BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). India helped the induction of Russia as a dialogue partner in the Indian Ocean Rim Association which may give Russia a major role in the Indian Ocean. Russia also helped Indian and Chinese Foreign Ministers to meet and diffuse the stalemate in Ladakh on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Moscow. Also, in the UNSC conference on maritime security chaired by India, Russia dilplayed its proximity to the former.
India-Russia Annual Summit: It is the highest institutionalized dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between India and Russia. The latest summit is an institution of a new “two plus two” mechanism bringing the foreign and defense ministers from both sides into a single forum. There is also speculation about a new 10-year defense pact between the two countries. Russia became the fourth nation, along with the US, Japan and Australia, with which India has such a joint structure in place.
Recent Cooperation in Defense: Currently, 65% of Indian armed forces equipment is of Russian origin and India continues to rely on Russia for spares. Despite strong US opposition, India procured the S-400 Triumf Missile from Russia. A deal worth over ₹5,000 crore with Russia for the manufacture of AK 203 assault rifles is also in the pipeline. For now, India has escaped the US sanctions on the purchase of S-400 missiles, however, India’s deepening defense ties with Russia will continue to trouble the USA as well as China.
Economic Domain of Relations: India and Russia have greater freedom in the economic domain but their failure to boost the commercial relationship has been stark. India-Russia annual trade is worth about only $10 billion whereas the latter’s annual trade with China is a little more than $100 billion. India’s goods trade with the US and China is at the level of $100 billion.
Significance of India for Russia: Persistent conflict with the US, Europe, and Japan have moved Moscow closest ever to Beijing. However, Russia is well aware of the dangers of relying solely on a neighbor like China. While resetting its relations with the West still has a lot to cover, sustaining the traditional partnership with India holds political value to Moscow.
Issues in India-Russia Ties: India remains wary of the growing military partnership between Russia and China and their shared opposition to the Indo-Pacific framework. Despite political tensions, India’s China trade continues to grow, while its commercial ties with Russia are stagnant despite good political relations.
The Russian business elites gravitate to Europe and China and the Indian corporations are focused on America and China. Russia considers the Quad as the ‘Asian NATO’ and has claimed military alliances in Asia as counterproductive.
CONCLUSION
Befriending the Best Friend: The structural constraints posed by the great power dynamic and vastly different appreciation of the regional security environment could be reduced if matters improve between Washington and Moscow. A less conflictual relationship between the two will be a huge relief for India. Also, the US-China quest for power or Russia’s deeping ties with China would have mattered less to India if its relations with China were more peaceful and stable.
Connecting with the Russian Far-East: Connectivity is another driver in the strategic partnership with underlying commercial advantages and overall economic development. Parallel to the multimodal International North-South Transport Corridor, the proposed Chennai–Vladivostok Maritime Corridor (CVMC) will sharpen India’s strategic intent in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region, with a naval presence securing its energy and trade shipments from the Russian Far East. The far-flung regions of Siberia, the Arctic and the Far East are home to one of the largest reserves of hydrocarbon, metallurgical coke, rare-earth and precious metals in the world. India and Russia can work with countries like Japan and Korea to promote joint investments for exploration in the Far East, the Arctic and Siberia.
Cooperation in the Energy Sector: The unknowns of climate change suggest that India should accelerate its energy transition from fossil fuel based to a renewable one. Russia, one of the key global players across the energy market, could emerge as an indispensable partner for such a transition. Fortunately, both countries have an extensive record of bilateral cooperation in the energy domain but undoubtedly more efforts are needed to expand the cooperation.
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN LAST VISIT TO INDIA
Last, Russian President Putin visited India in 2018 for the Annual Summit during which the contract for the S400 system was signed between India and Russia. The last edition of the Summit between India-Russia in 2020 was postponed due to COVID-19.
List of international presidential trips made by Vladimir Putin in 2021
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the visit to India on December 6 will be Putin’s second foreign visit in 2021. The first foreign visit of Putin in 2021 was to Geneva for a summit-level meeting with US President Joe Biden. Putin had joined the G20 Summit virtually amid COVID-19 crisis in Russia.
TEST YOURSELF
Q.1 Which of the following World leaders have recently visited India for the bilateral summit between India & that country?
- Fumio Kishida
- Joseph Biden
- Vladimir Putin: ANSWER
- None of the following
Q.2 In which of the following multilateral forums, both India & Russia are the common member or the dialogue partners?
- Shanghai Cooperation Organization
- BRICS Organization
- IORA
- All of the above: ANSWER
Q.3 2+2 Ministerial is the highest-level institutional mechanism between the two countries & is a format of dialogue where the defense/foreign ministers or secretaries meet with their counterparts from another country. From the given options with which of the following countries India doesn't hold the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue?
- United Kingdom: ANSWER
- United States of America
- Australia
- None of the following
Q.4 The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a multi-modal transportation established in 2000 in St. Petersburg by which of the following countries for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation?
- India, Russia & Kazakhstan
- Iran, India & Russia: ANSWER
- Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia
- Ukraine, India, Russia
Q.5 Consider the following statements & state which of the following is/are correct in the reference to the
- Human spaceflight module of Gaganyaan will be launched after the second unmanned mission planned in 2022-23.
- Under the Gaganyaan Mission there will be two unmanned flights and no human spaceflight: ANSWER
- GSLV Mk III, the launch vehicle will be used to launch Gaganyaan as it has the necessary payload capability.
- None of the above
