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THE
DEFINING DECADES
'50s:
After the chill, a surprise spring
 Khruschev
breaks the ice: Stalin was disappointed when India chose to be non-aligned
after Independence. Relations remained cool till his death in 1953. His
successor, Nikita Khruschev felt that if India was not with the US, it
was with the USSR. Nehru was also sold on the socialist model.
'60s:
Blossoming partnership
Brezhnev
expands ties: With the Chinese showing a tilt towards the US, the
Soviets distanced themselves from China. After he took over as president
in 1960, Leonid Brezhnev pushed for closer ties with India. There was
a surge in defence sales to India during this period. Major investments
were made by the Soviets in the power, oil and steel sectors in India.
'70s:
A decisive, strategic tilt
Watershed
treaty: The signing of the Indo-Soviet Friendship Treaty in 1971 formalised
friendly ties between the two countries. During the Bangladesh war the
same year, the Soviets helped counter attempts by China and the US to
get involved in the conflict. While the rest of the world reacted angrily
to the 1974 nuclear tests by India, the USSR was mild in its criticism.
It also stepped up economic cooperation with India.
'80s:
In a limbo as the Reds turn pink
 Price
of Glasnost: President Mikhail Gorbachev got along well with prime
minister Rajiv Gandhi. But he was too occupied with the political reforms
he had unleashed in his country. So, Indo-Soviet ties were put on the
backburner even as India began to shop for arms elsewhere.
'90s:
The New Russia looks West
End of
an era: After the break-up of the Soviet Union, the New Russia headed
by Boris Yeltsin saw itself as a European power and looked towards the
West to bail it out. Supply of Russian spares to India became a nightmare
for the defence services. By the late 1990s, Russia was disillusioned
with the West and began to look at India once again.
2000:
A new closeness
The edifice
of a new relationship is emerging, beginning with the signing of the "Declaration
of Strategic Partnership" during Vladimir Putin's visit to India.
Russia sees India and China as major countervailing forces to the unipolar
world headed by the US. India needs defence equipment that Russia is willing
to sell.
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In
India, youth is marked by impetuosity and prevented from getting ahead.
Elsewhere, of course, the young rule the world, says INDIA TODAY Deputy
Editor Swapan Dasgupta in 
