Since India became independent, India and Russia have shared a very warm, deep, and stable relationship. Before 1990, Russia was part of the Soviet Union, but even after the Soviet Union broke apart, India’s friendly relations with Russia and the other new countries remained strong. For India, Russia has always been a very important and trusted partner. The friendship between the two countries is so close that it is difficult to compare it with India’s relationship with any other nation. In fact, their bilateral ties are considered even closer than normal diplomatic relations. Because of this strong bond, leaders from both countries have been meeting every year for the last 22 years. These annual meetings help both sides review their relationship and discuss global issues affecting them. In this context, Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting India on December 4th and 5th. His two-day visit is expected to make India–Russia friendship even stronger.
Every Indian knows that Russia has always stood by India in every crisis and difficult situation. Whether it was Russia or the former Soviet Union, it supported India on many issues where India once appeared to be alone. One famous example of this strong friendship is the visit of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to India in the early 1950s. During his long visit, he even traveled to Jammu and Kashmir, showing how important India was to the Soviet Union. Standing on the soil of Srinagar, he declared that Jammu and Kashmir was not a problem because it had been legally integrated into the Indian Union. The history of India-Soviet Union and Russia relations since then has been written in golden letters. Whether it was the 1965 Indo-Pak war or the 1971 Bangladesh war, the Soviet Union stood by India on both occasions and sent a clear message to the United States, which was backing Pakistan, that it should never make the mistake of considering India weak. During the 1971 war, when the US deployed its seventh nuclear fleet to the Bay of Bengal in support of Pakistan, the Soviet Union declared that even the slightest movement by the fleet would lead to an unavoidable nuclear war. Furthermore, when the US proposed a resolution against India in the UN Security Council, the Soviet Union vetoed it. It was with the Soviet Union’s indirect support that a new country, Bangladesh, was created on the world map, and Pakistan was divided into two. Pakistan’s greatest benefactor, the United States, looked on, while China remained a mute spectator. The Soviet Union did all this out of friendship with India. Russia, or the Soviet Union, played a significant role in India’s development after independence. Whether it was progress in science and technology or development in the nuclear field, India received its support in all areas, and its contribution to defense was unique. The Soviet Union met most of India’s modern defense needs. This support extended to armaments for the Army, Air Force, and Navy.
Mr. Putin is making a two-day state visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This will be the 23rd annual meeting between the two countries. Last year, Mr. Modi visited Russia for a similar meeting, and they signed agreements to enhance mutual cooperation in various areas. This meeting between the two leaders may also result in new agreements to enhance mutual cooperation in the fields of defense cooperation, peaceful nuclear cooperation, and energy. Discussions may also be held on new collaborations in these areas, including in the private sector. Following the talks, a joint statement will be issued by both countries, detailing the areas of mutual cooperation.
The meeting will also review the special strategic partnership between India and Russia, and explore ways to further strengthen this partnership. The meeting will also assess the potential for mutual relations by evaluating global circumstances and the international political landscape. It is also worth noting that on November 17th, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Russia and met with the Russian Foreign Minister. On the same day, Mr. Nikolay Patrushev, a close and trusted aide of Mr. Putin, met with India’s National Security Advisor, Mr. Ajit Doval, in New Delhi. Mr. Patrushev, also a former Russian National Security Advisor, met with the Russian National Security Advisor.
