India and Global Superpowers: Russia

About Russia

• Location: Spans Europe and Asia, making it a transcontinental country.
• Capital: Moscow
• Bordering Countries (14): Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and North Korea.
• Major Mountain Ranges: Ural Mountains, Caucasus Mountains.

Areas of Cooperation

1. Political Relation
   • India – Russia maintain their cordial relationship from time to time through engagement in high-level summits like Sochi Summit (2018) and the Vladivostok Summit (2019).
   • Other way of cooperation was the establishment of the India – Russia intergovernmental commission and cooperation in the case of the Syrian crisis.
   • Recent outcome of 2+2 dialogue mechanism
     • The two sides signed two contracts for the manufacture of AK-203 rifles under a joint venture in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh.
     • The two countries also signed an agreement for military technology cooperation for the next decade, from 2021 to 2031.
     • Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS), as well as a Navy-to-Navy cooperation MoU are at the advanced stages of conclusion.
     • Two countries also signed the Protocol of the 20th India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Military & Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC).
   • Events of Reciprocal Support
     • Russian support during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and India not voting in the UN against the USSR when human rights allegations came.
     • The most recent one is India’s absence from the UN voting against Russia in the limelight of the Ukraine invasion and engagement of Russia in the oil trade.
   • Russian Support to India in International  Plateforms
     • Russia supports India for permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council.
     • Russia backed India’s membership in the Nuclear Supply Group.
   • Commons Issues Faced by Both Countries
     • Terrorism that Chechiyan rebels in Russia and China supported insurgency in Northeast India, and Pakistan supported extremist groups in Jammu and Kashmir.
     • The global dominance of the USA led the Western world in geopolitics.  
   • Common Platforms Both Nations are Engaging: BRICS Grouping, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), G2O, United Nations, Australia Group, Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), India-Russia-Japan trilateral consultations.
2. Defence Relation
   • In the field of defence, India and Russia have a long-standing and broad partnership, with Russia providing over 60% of India’s defence equipment but in recent days India is diversifying arms procurement from countries like USA, Israel, etc.
   • Major defence deals between India – and Russia 
     • T 70, T 90 Tanks during 1970 – 90
     • Procurement of Kiev class aircraft carrier ( INS Vikramaditya) in 2000
     • Russia has made technology transfers to India for the production of weapons like BrahMos Missile System, and SU-30 aircraft.
     • Indian procurement of weapons like Ka-226T helicopters, igla missiles, S – 400 air defence system.
   • Joint Exercise
     • INDIRA – Army Exercise
     • Avi INDIRA – Air Exercise
3. Economic Relation
   • The targets of increasing bilateral investment were revised to US $50 billion and bilateral trade to US $30 billion by 2025.
   • Russia is one of the main partners of India’s Make in India initiative.
   • Joint investment in projects by both countries are
     • Operationalization of the ‘Green Corridor’ project
     • International North-South Transport Corridor
   • Institutional mechanisms for economic development like
     • India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific & Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC)
       India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue (IRSED)
   • Major items of export from India include electrical machinery, pharmaceuticals, organic chemicals, iron & steel, apparels, tea, coffee, and vehicle spare parts. 
   • Major items of import from Russia include defense equipment, mineral resources, precious stones and metals, nuclear power equipment, fertilizers, electrical machinery, articles of steel, and inorganic chemicals.
   • As part of boosting trade India – Russia has a currency swap mechanism that also bypasses US dominant SWIFT mechanism
4. Cooperation in the Area of Science and Tech
   • Russia gives technology support to the Kudankulam Nuclear plant
   • The former USSR launched India’s first two satellites – Aryabhata and Bhaskar.
   • Russian space agency ROSCOSMOS provides training to Indian astronauts as part of the Gaganyan project
   • Joint Arctic expedition
   • The Monex expedition to study monsoons was conducted in 1973.
   • Support for navigation by GLONASS  as an alternative to USA-powered GPS
   • Traditional Knowledge Digital Library.
5. Cultural Relation
   • Cultural exchange programs like the teaching of Indian languages to Russian people and Russian to Indians.
   • Russian’s studies on yoga, and Ayurveda in India.
   • Educational exchange programs like the AIM-SIRIUS program.
6. Joint Fight Against Covid 19
   • During the crisis of covid India supplied many life-saving medicines to Russia as part of the Vande Bharat Mission and in return, Russia provided Sputnik vaccines.

Significance of Russia for India

• To act as a pressure builder on China which was evident during the Galwan clash, where Russia called for mediation.
• Russia is significant for arms and technology supply 
• Source of investment in Make in India
• Source of cheap crude oil for India that is evident during the Ukraine crisis.

Issues in Relation

• Russia – Pakistan  – China nexus and conducting joint exercises.
• Supply of S 400 to Russia to China.
• India’s US tilt by engaging multiple platforms like QUAD. and purchasing US arms like Apache.