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21 UP
From
Russia with Love
It
is barely a week away from Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to
India and yet there is hardly any excitement over it even at South Block
the headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). In March,
when US President Bill Clinton came calling every place
that he was to visit was spruced up--whether Delhi's Chandni Chowk, Agra's
roads or Hyderabad's cyber city. Where Clinton was going to stay was a
subject of much speculation and hotels tussled keenly to woo his entourage.
His advance security was the subject of much press coverage. Even the
possible visit of his dog, Buddy, and arrangements for it were discussed
threadbare. In contrast, there is hardly any curiosity over Putin's itinerary
which spans four days in India beginning October 2.
True, Clinton's
visit was the first by a US President to India in 22
years. Before him President Jimmy Carter came in 1978 when Morarji Desai
was prime minister. By comparison, President Boris Yelstin came calling
only seven years back (in 1993). Yelstin was to come again in 1998 but
at the last minute called it off because of ill-health and sent the then
Russian prime minister Yevgeny Primakov instead. It is also true that
since the break up of Soviet Union, Russia not only lost its superpower
status but also what South Block calls its "special relationship"
with India. And that for years after the disintegration Russia's look-West
policy saw it ignore its former friends and allies including India. Besides,
the MEA must be having a hangover from Prime Minister Atal Bihari's Vajpayee
extended sojourn in the US recently.
Yet it would
be a diplomatic blunder to downplay the importance of
Putin's visit. Despite the recent bhai-bhai with the US, there are some
hard realities that still make India's relations with it far from
comfortable. While Clinton's may be gastronomically inclined towards
India and makes no bones about it, the US still can't stomach
India's aggressive nuclear stance. There may be much talk of India and
US being natural allies but neither the large nor the fine print
spell any of that out in recent agreements. Economic sanctions continue
to dog the relationship and close to 70 major Indian scientific institutions
and business corporations are on the US blacklist. A major test of the
importance of relations with a country is its willingness to sell defence
equipment or hi-technology. The US isn't willing to do either. As yet.
That's why
India should be careful not to put too many of its diplomatic eggs in
the US basket. That's why too, India should be treating Russia under Putin
with much warmth and goodwill. For an India desperate to upgrade the quality
of its armed forces especially after the recent Kargil encounter, Russian
defence equipment will continue to be both its main hope and mainstay
for the next decade. Not only is Russia willing to sell its top of the
line jet fighter the Su 30 Mk 1, but state-of-the-art tanks and rocket
launchers--that too at almost half the prices of either European or American
companies. Now with Putin's visit, Russia is even offering co-operation
in advanced hi-technology in areas such as plasma displays and lasers
where Russia still has a lead.
Russia also
continues to look benignly at India's nuclear programme and made no effort
to either impose economic sanctions or block the sale of nuclear technology
to India after the 1998 tests. True, India's
economic relations with Russia continue to be in the doldrums. But that
is largely because of Russia's own economic downslide and also India's
debt repayment to it that runs to Rs 3,000 crores annually. Putin's trip
should explore ways of strengthening economic bonds including setting
up of joint ventures.
In its recent
efforts to counter the unipolar influence that US
exercises over the world, Russia has once again sought to renew ties
with its old Cold War allies and friends. Russia has still much love for
India. It makes sense for India to accept some of it.
(Raj Chengappa
is Deputy Editor, INDIA TODAY and author of Weapons of Peace: The Secret
Story of India's Quest to be a Nuclear Power.) He is based in Delhi.
Write
to Raj Chengappa.)
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