Round The World
New Delhi, 17 December 2014
Two
Sides—Russia
& US
INDIA NEEDS TO LEVERAGE BOTH
By Ashok B
Sharma
President Putin has come and gone.
President Obama is expected here as chief guest at the Republic Day
celebrations. The emerging economic power, India,
being strategically located has become a favoured choice for both Russia and the US. Russia
faces a compulsion in the global geopolitics after being expelled from G8 over
its action in annexing Crimea. Further, the
shooting down of the Malaysian airliner MH 17, allegedly by the rebels in
eastern Ukraine further
aggravated the situation with the Western bloc declaring sanctions against Russia. Though
the situation does not seem to be an absolute return to the cold war era, but
can be viewed as a step towards a soft realignment in geopolitics.
The moot issue here is where and how
much India
stands to gain? India
has already stated that it cannot be a party to any sanctions against Russia. The US has already
expressed its intention to act as a “pivot” and “rebalance” in
Asia-Pacific. With the plan to position itself in the region, the US faces increasingly assertive role of China.
Therefore, partnership with India
has become a necessity.
Defence is one of the most critical
areas where New Delhi
seeks cooperation from these two global powers. Manufacture of defence platforms
and equipment in the country through co-design, co-production and transfer of
technology is what Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks under his ambitious ‘Make
in India’
programme.
With a number of acquisitions in the
pipeline, the US has become
a top supplier of defence products to India,
displacing Russia.
However, Prime Minister Modi has clarified saying: “Even as India's options have increased today, Russia will
remain our most important defence partner. We have conducted joint exercises
across all three wings of the Armed Forces in the last six months.”
Even today, 60 per cent to 70 per
cent of India's defence
platforms are from Russia.
It is the first country to come for co-production and co-development of defence
products with India.
Recently Russia
has entered into a military pact with Pakistan for the first time to
exchange of views and information on politico-military issues as well as issues
related to strengthening of mutual trust and international security. It has,
however, clarified that this is not directed against India,
but to empower Pakistan to
deal with the terrorist in Afghanistan.
India-US Defence Trade and
Technology Initiative (DTTI) was inked two years ago when the UPA government
led by Manmohan Singh was in power. It was the initiative of the then US
Defence Secretary Leon E Panetta that was subsequently shepherded by the then
US Defence Secretary Ash Carter. The DTTI has on its agenda proposals for
co-production and co-development. Though the new framework for the
US-India defence relationship has been extended to next 10 years beyond July
2015 during the recent visit of US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel to India, the net
results of actual cooperation is yet to be seen on the ground.
One needs to understand what the US really means
by technology transfer. Ash Carter had earlier spelt it out by saying: “We've
adapted our system in ways that will speed our release process for India, especially
in the Department of Defence, recognising that for all partners this process is
subject to case-by-case review and there will always be some technologies that
we will keep to ourselves.” This shows that the US will not be liberal in
technology transfer.
However, for funding of innovative
projects, Carter had stated: ‘We’ll ensure that those innovative projects
receive priority funding. This is an approach we’ve only ever taken with the United Kingdom and Australia
and now India
will join that company.’
During Prime Minister Modi’s recent
talks with President Obama in Washington
it was agreed to reinvigorate the political-military dialogue between the two
countries and expand its role to serve as a wider dialogue on export licencing,
defence and strategic cooperation. It has been decided to set up a Task Force
to expeditiously evaluate and decide on unique projects and technologies aimed
at enhancing India’s
defence industry and military capabilities.
The US
agreed to cooperate in setting up of National
Defence University
in India.
Both Washington and New Delhi agreed to upgrade the existing
bilateral Malabar naval exercise. Expressing concern over the rise of China in Asia-Pacific, both India and the US, agreed to work closely with
countries in the region through consultations, dialogues and joint exercises. Thus,
India-Japan-US trilateral will be raised to the level of foreign ministers.
However, playing to Prime Minister
Modi’s homeland security concerns, President Obama pledged to help India counter
the threat of improvised explosive devices with information and technology. India is eager
to purchase US-made mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles.
India and the US would
co-produce and co-develop the next generation Javelin anti-tank missile.
According to Hagel, ‘This is an unprecedented offer that we have made only to India and no
one else.’ Javelin is a man-portable, fire-and-forget, anti-tank missile
employed by dismounted infantry to defeat current and future threat armoured
combat vehicles. While for the Javelin project the US
will partner only with India,
there are several other defence projects the Americans have with other
countries, particularly with Australia,
a strategic country in the Indo-Pacific region and with the UK.
During President Putin's recent
visit, Russia has, however,
agreed to fully manufacture one of its most advanced helicopters in India which includes the possibility of exports
from India.
The helicopter is both for civilian and military use. India and Russia will increase collaboration
in joint design, development, manufacturing and marketing of technology-driven
products. The two countries have already moved to a phase of joint design and
development of defence systems.
In the areas of energy security, India and Russia
signed a Strategic Vision for Strengthening Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of
Atomic Energy that stipulates carrying forward the Kudankulam Nuclear Power
Projects by setting up 10 more nuclear reactors and manufacture of equipment
and components in India.
Australia has already agreed
to supply uranium to India
to be used as feed stocks.
India stands much to gain by
effecting a free trade agreement with the proposed Eurasian Union and after the
proposed International North-South Transport Corridor is operationalised.
Indian investors see greenfield opportunities in
Russia’s
hydrocarbons and natural resources. Possibilities of a gas pipeline from Russia to India too can be explored. The
India-Russia bilateral trade can see a quantum jump from the existing level of
$15 billion. Besides, Prime Minister Modi has appealed to Russia to make direct sale of rough diamonds to India and has
urged Russian traders to trade on Bharat Diamond Bourse. India can thus
become a hub for diamond polishing and exports.
Russia faces militancy and
terrorism in Chechnya and India has
similar problems from across the border. This brings the two countries closer
in their fight against terrorism. Russia
and the US
can be valued partners. It depends upon India how it can leverage both to
meet its needs. ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
|