India has a vibrant economy but poor imple-mentation of policy has led to a distorted development pattern with a sizeable segment of the the population still denied basic health, education and infrastructure. But a new India is emerging, harder and more self-assertive, a young India more open to new ideas, having divested itself of the baggage of anti-colonialism which was etched deep in the psyche of earlier generations, a confident India able to take a more pragmatic view of the world.
New India and new Russia search for new paradigms to accommodate an old relationship. The warmth of 1971 has long faded and circumstances that obtain now have injected a Moscow chill into the relations.
Russia, outmanoeuvred by the USA, and apprehensive of the creeping NATOisation of its former republics, is forging a strategic coalition with China, unmindful of Indian interests. The Su-30 MKI technology, funded by India, has been transferred to China, which has become a major importer of Russian hi-tech weaponry. China, with ex-Soviet Union scientists and engineers working in its defence facilities is producing fighter aircrafts, now being fitted with Russian engines, and exporting them to Pakistan in a clear violation of an earlier understanding with India. All major weapon deals between India and Russia have run into cost and time over-runs. The INS Vikramaditya still languishes in Russian waters and a firm delivery date is yet to materialise with Russia citing earlier underassessment of refurbishment costs as the cause of delay. The Akula-II nuclear submarine will take considerably longer to join the Indian Navy on lease for 10 years. The upgrade of two IL-38 aircrafts was delayed by nearly 2 years and the final product arrived in India minus the avionics and the weapon systems. India has had to agree to raise the annual cost escalation for all major deals including the Su-30 project, from 2.8% to 5 %. The Ayni airbase near Dushanbe, Tajikistan, developed by India, probably will be denied to India at Russia’s behest. An element of coercion is evident.
| Editor’s Pick |
A recent trend is jointness in defence production. Brahmos has been a success story, indicating that joint design and production is the way ahead. However in the 5th generation fighter deal, supposed to be a joint design and production programme, India came on board only after the design was frozen. The medium lift transport aircraft will also be a joint effort. Memorandums of Understanding have been signed for additional nuclear reactors at Kudakulam. Agreement has been reached by the two countries on India’s access to the navigational signals of the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System(GLONASS) as also to a part of the GLONASS radio frequency spectrum. The two countries will also co-operate in the joint satellite project “YOUTHSAT”. Russian help will be available for India’s moon mission ‘CHANDRAYAN’.
Please wait...
