|
Round
The World
New Delhi, 20 December 2011
Indo-Russian Ties
MORE DYNAMISM NEEDED
By Monish Tourangbam
Research Scholar, School
of International Studies (JNU)
The recently-concluded annual Indo-Russian Summit has
provided the positive note to diplomatic engagements, as usual towards the end
of each year. This, despite, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Moscow
coming at a time when his counterpart Vladimir Putin seems to be facing new
challenges to his popularity with anti-regime protests coming out in the open. More
so, when the demand for more democratic freedom and increasing liberty seems to
be the order of the day around the world, from the Middle East to Myanmar. However,
Indo-Russian strategic ties are seen to be resilient enough to stand all winds
of change on the political ground.
The Summit particularly reinforced this, notwithstanding
also the changing contours of Indian foreign policy and further opening up to a
host of other countries, especially the emerging partnership between the US and India. Defence
ties between New Delhi and Moscow have been the prominent pillar of this
relationship. But considering India’s increasing economic potential, its rising
defence budget and consumer power, the two countries still need to refurbish
the nature of their relationship, and also diversify towards other
non-conventional sectors of partnership.
The camaraderie shared by the public sector enterprises of
the two countries that has provided major dividends needs to be extended to more
vibrant private sector convergences, taking advantage of the major strides in
global innovation and R&D. One of the highlights of the India-Russia
relationship is the cooperation in the field of civilian nuclear energy. This
has been reiterated on subsequent visits of leaders from both sides.
Indeed, the synergy between Russia
as a major energy producing country and India as a major energy consuming nation
is the catch-phrase of the cooperation in this field. Despite domestic concerns
raised regarding the negative impact of nuclear stations, especially post the Fukushima disaster in Japan, nuclear energy programmes
remain a viable future of alternative energy. India’s increasing consumption of
energy still calls for more nuclear imports and bilateral collaborations towards
greater nuclear energy production.
The two countries leaders looked forward to the early
commissioning of the first two units at Kudankulam, embroiled in controversy. Regarding
construction of its Units 3 & 4, discussions on the text of the Protocol for
grant of State Credit by Russian to India has been finalized and
negotiations on the techno-commercial offer are in an advanced stage.
India’s Nuclear Liability Bill
has majorly concerned foreign suppliers hoping to invest in its nuclear energy
market. As Indian officials stressed that their law for nuclear damages was
balanced and fair to both foreign suppliers and nuclear plant operators, Russia is
sought to have demanded that the entire Kudankulam nuclear power project be out
of the purview of civil nuclear liability rules. They wanted the terms and
conditions for the 3rd and 4th units to be similar to the
first two units, which were signed long before the Indian nuclear liability
rules came into force.
In response, Indian officials reportedly commented that the final
technical-commercial contracts for the third and fourth reactors were yet to be
signed and that New Delhi
would not be able to look into it at this stage. Besides, further cooperation
in the hydrocarbon sector was reiterated, like equity participation through ONGC-OVL
in new projects in Russia,
and Russia’s
commitment for increased Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) supply beginning 2016.
Another issue concerning Indo-Russian defence cooperation
has been a possible defect in India’s
frontline Su-30 MKIs. As such, an agreement during the recent annual summit:
Protocol No. 2 (on the Su- 30 MKI Aircraft Licensed Production Expansion in India for 42
Units) was significant. The Indian Air Force has reportedly grounded the fleet
after crashes indicated technical defaults, and is seeking Russia to
address the issue and fix the problem.
The loss of men and material due to crashes has indeed been
a major concern of late; with the MIG-21s even nicknamed “flying coffins”. Preliminary
inquiry into the Su-30MKI crashes has pointed towards the failure of the
electronic ‘Fly by Wire’ control system. Apparently, the three crashed
Su-30MKIs have been manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), which
license-produces Sukhoi-30 MKI at its Bengaluru facility, underlining the
quality issues that the newest aircraft in the fleet have been facing for quite
some time now. Thus, most likely, Russian engineers will join the IAF-HAL
investigation.
This apart, both sides
expressed mutual interest in using the Russian global navigation satellite
system GLONASS; an alternative to the US-Controlled Global Positing System
(GPS) and looked forward to furthering their cooperation in this field,
including through the joint production of satellite navigation equipment and
services for civilian users. GLONASS is being considered a possible asset to India’s demand
for advanced technology, contributing to the better use of precision-guided
weapons.
On another front, both
the countries expressed solidarity, commonality of interests and opinions over
a host of regional and international issues ranging from the situation in the
Middle East and North Africa, Iranian nuclear
issue, Afghan conflict, reform of international financial institutions and the
United Nations. Russia welcomed
India’s
intention to join the Sanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a full-fledged
member. China’s reluctance
to such a development will be understandable, but Moscow
would not mind another major player in the form of India to offset Chinese influence.
Confidence on the BRICS
forum and its contribution to reform of global governance was reiterated.
Moreover, Russia expressed
its readiness to assist and promote a discussion and positive decision in the
NSG on India’s full
membership in the group, and considered India’s intention to join other
technology export control regimes like the MTCR and the Wassenaar Arrangement.
In a noteworthy
development, Russia's
largest business conglomerate Sistema proposes to expand its India portfolio
by entering the power generation, coal mining and retail businesses with
investments of around $1 billion, thereby indicating a desire to diversify from
traditional areas of Indo-Russian trade. Sistema already has a presence here
through telecom firm MTS India, and is reportedly open to mergers and
acquisitions once there is some clarity on the Indian government’s telecom
policy.
In all, the annual
Indo-Russian bilateral summits have become a regular fixture in the two
countries’ diplomatic calendar. Indeed, successive visits from top leaders of
the two countries have of late given the requisite thrust to diplomatic ties.
Though minor glitches remain, including in defence purchase and maintenance
issues, economic ties need to pack in more diversity and dynamism to achieve
its true potential. But the absence of any major irritant in the overall
relationship is a positive aspect that needs to be cultivated and used as an advantage
to sustain the time-tested ties. New grounds to keep pace with fast-track
opportunities and challenges in international politics should be the aim.
---INFA
(Copyright, India
News and Feature Alliance)
|
Archives 
