Diplomatist Magazine Diplomatist October 2019 | Page 20

SPECIAL REPORT
imports from Russia, were repeat orders for
existing equipment and no new orders were
placed. However, towards the second half of the
Modi government there is a shift in this trend
with an intergovernmental agreement signed
in 2019 related to Akula-class attack nuclear
submarine. At this time, Modi also announced
his government’s offi cial ‘Make in India’ policy
with an aim to develop the country’s defence
capabilities and reduce the dependency on the
import of defence equipment.
At this time, a decline in import fi gures led
to concerns about defence cooperation, once
considered to be the cornerstone of the strategic
partnership between the two countries. There
was also a decline in Russian participation when
considerable changes were taking place in the
Indian market of arms in terms of import of arms
and military techniques. India was also concerned
about the Russian supply of Mi-35 Hind Attach
Helicopter (lethal weapon) to Pakistan and the
sale of sophisticated weaponry to China, whereas
Russia worried over losing its exclusive arms
supplier status in the Indian arms market to the
USA, France and Israel.
Over the last two years, however, there has
been an enormous jump in India-Russia defence
relationship, with New Delhi signing deals worth
US$ 14 billion with Moscow. Russian experts point
out that considering the competitors of Russia in
the Indian arms market, Russia has to undertake
an active and cardinal action in this direction.
Experts from both sides have highlighted the need
to contemplate indispensability of expansion of
cooperation in the new areas ensuing globalisation
and competition, which yet have not been
borrowed by competitors.
In an eff ort to spin relations between the two
nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his
visit to St Petersburg in 2018, very well described
Indo-Russian relations that there had been no
downfall in the Russia - India relationship since the
historical times and both the countries continued
to regard each other as special and “privileged”
partners and highlighted the time tested “deep
mutual understanding” between them.
Taking a page from his book, Russia extended
an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to
be the chief guest at the Fifth Eastern Economic
Forum, to be held in September this year. This
gesture was aimed at renewing the bilateral and
strategic ties between the two nations, as by the
India was also
concerned about
the Russian supply
of Mi-35 Hind
Attack Helicopter
(lethal weapon) to
Pakistan and the
sale of sophisticated
weaponry to China,
whereas Russia
worried over losing
its exclusive arms
supplier status in the
Indian arms market
to the USA, France
and Israel.
20 • Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 7 • Issue 10 • October 2019, Noida
year 2020, most of the ongoing long-term projects
signed with Russia are set to reach their end.
However, it needs to be understood, that this invite
is not only about exploring new avenues of joint
cooperation, as has been indicated by Russian
experts, but also to “iron out the diffi culties” that
the numerous joint projects are facing.
Russia’s renewed interest in India might
remove challenges and provide a common platform
where the interest of both countries is safeguarded.
The Eastern Economic Forum provided a platform
to reinvigorate the deep bonds between the two
strategic partners. The “decisive spirit” of the
countries’ leaders to cooperate, has taken the
privileged strategic partnership to “new heights”.
The contribution to the Far East region’s economy
by providing a line of credit worth $ 1 billion for the
area’s development will create better opportunities
for mutual cooperation in the private sector.
Furthermore, the strategic partnership involved
cooperation, beginning from foreign policies to
environment protection. The Military-Technical
Cooperation between the countries remains
intertwined. As expected, the implementation
of MTC programs for 2011-2020 were assessed
and a new course of action is being worked out
for the coming ten years. This cooperation will
not be limited to just the supply of weapons, but
will also include launching the production of
latest military products, such as “small arms of
Kalashnikov series, Ka-226T helicopters”, all in
partnership with Indians. In order to strengthen
the Russia-India relations while withstanding
external pressures, the parties agreed to develop
MTC, transfer technology, as well as create joint
ventures. Russia’s interest to involve India in
its Asia-Pacifi c strategy works well for India as
well, as there is immense potential in the fi elds of
energy, gas, military, and defense in the Far East
region. Mutual trust, a distinctive feature of the
countries’ relations, has also deepened, as made
apparent in the Vladivostok summit. 
*Author is Assistant Professor at Centre for
Russian and Central Asian Studies School of
International Studies, JNU