Skip to main content

Ukraine crisis: India's hour of reckoning to deal with challenges to national security?

By Ajit Singh* 

Western world has confined itself to a role of mere spectator watching traumatized Ukrainians from safe bubbles who are bravely fighting their own decisive battle against an aggressor state. The financial sanctions imposed by United States and other European members on Russia is just a face saving exercise and exposes the failure of the American-led coalition to ensure peace and territorial integrity of its allies in the region.
This has created a dilemma for India who is slacklining on a tightrope to effectively balance its relations with Russia and the Western allies. This is evident by the fact why India opted to abstain and not voted in favour or against the resolution of the UN Security Council drafted by the US to stop Russian military advances against Ukraine and compel it to come to the negotiating table for resolving differences diplomatically.
A paper published by Sameer Lalwani and others for Stimson Center have shown that 86 percent of Indian military hardware are of Russian origin and the country is still heavily dependent upon Russia for spare parts and regular maintenance of these equipment and weapons.
But cooperation between the two nations is limited mostly to the defense sector. Russia is not even among the top 20 trading partners of India. Bilateral trade between both countries is less than USD 10 billion.
On the other hand, the United States is India's biggest foreign trade partner with a trade volume exceeding USD 100 billions in 2021. Similarly India receives USD 14 billion worth of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from America, which is second only to Singapore.
These statistics largely explain that our economic interests are tilted more towards western counterparts. Yet India cannot take a clearer position and dare speak against the invasion, as it may lead to compromised defense capability due to heavy reliance on the Russian military complex.
The cordial relations between the two countries has stood the test of time. India along with Yugoslavia and Egypt had established the foundation of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in 1956. The goal was to not join either American or the Soviet power block during the Cold War era. But India due to its early socialist outlook deviated from its early non-aligned position to side with the latter power.
Under the leadership of Indira Gandhi and Leonid Brezhnev the two countries signed a security pact, according to which the Soviet Union was bound to defend India in case of external aggression. This treaty obligation greatly helped India in the 1971 war when Soviet nuclear warheads blocked the 7th navy fleet of the US in Bay of Bengal, and this moment became a deciding factor in the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistani occupation.
The Soviet Union that later became Russia vetoed sanctions against India after the nuclear test of 1974 and 1999. In the Kargil conflict as well India received Russia's imperative support. Similarly Russia has always come to India's rescue on the contentious Kashmir issue at the critical times in UN Security Council.
Even though India is now one of the key members of Quad nations and a major strategic ally of the US in the Indo-Pacific region, it hasn't fully shed the garb of neutrality, and that is why backed Russia in the current conflict, but will Russia reciprocate the same gesture and back India in an escalation with China or Pakistan? We already know the answer, it most likely won't.
In the Galwan valley clash last year between Indian defense forces and the People's Liberation Army of China, the former lost 20 soldiers in a bloody violent confrontation. At that time, Russia had taken a minimalist stand and even ruled out mediation between Asian powers.
Self-congratulatory wisdom and blind praise for the Indian military forces won't help to maintain deterrence let alone secure borders
This change of heart is not sudden but over the decades economic ties and strategic cooperation between Russia and China have been strengthened to strive a balance against the western power.
The unfolding Russia-Ukraine standoff poses a big conundrum in front of domestic foreign policy makers. India is steadily losing a trusted and reliable partner due to its collaboration with America and European countries. If tension with China escalates and turns into a full blown non-nuclear military conflict, India will be backstabbed by its new-found allies and destined to suffer the same fate as Ukraine if not worse.
India's top Generals and Marshals have tried to take the audience into confidence, as they argue India has acumen and wherewithal to deal with the formidable threat of two front war like scenarios involving China and Pakistan.
In 2019, India faced the real war like situation after Indian Air Force broke into Pakistan's territory to strike on alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist camps. The skirmish between sub-regional nuclear nations exposed India's self proclamation of being a superior power.
India largely failed on all fronts. We shot down our own Mi17 Military helicopter in a friendly fire which left 6 IAF personnel dead. India also faced a huge embarrassment when its MiG21 Bison aircraft crashed in neighbor's territory and Pakistan got its hand on living war booty to show-off the entire world that they managed to capture a prisoner of war. Most importantly due to lack of proper communication channels between the Foreign and Defense Ministries, India badly lost to Pakistan in building a media narrative in its own favour.
India needs to get its act together. Self-congratulatory wisdom and blind praise for the Indian military forces won't help to maintain deterrence let alone securing borders. The government must focus to expand the indigenous defense capacity which is in a nascent stage; at the same time India should diversify its defense purchases to erase the demand inelasticity vis-a-vis our dependence on Russia for critical technology and platforms.
---
*Sophomore in Bachelor's in Education (BEd) programme

Comments

TRENDING

Reducing emission? India among top nations whose coal as energy source going up

By NS Venkataraman*  The State of the Global Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that the year 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global temperature of 1.4 degree celsius above pre-industrial 1850-1900 base line.

Lockdown 'total failure' of science more than of politics: Open letter on 4th anniversary

Counterview Desk  In an open letter to fellow academicians, scientists and medical practitioners in India, marking the fourth anniversary of India's lockdown (25 March 2024), the Managing Committee* of the Universal Health Organisation (UHO) has insisted on the need to "repair two years of immense damage to science".

Insider plot to kill Deendayal Upadhyay? What RSS pracharak Balraj Madhok said

By Shamsul Islam*  Balraj Madhok's died on May 2, 2016 ending an era of old guards of Hindutva politics. A senior RSS pracharak till his death was paid handsome tributes by the RSS leaders including PM Modi, himself a senior pracharak, for being a "stalwart leader of Jan Sangh. Balraj Madhok ji's ideological commitment was strong and clarity of thought immense. He was selflessly devoted to the nation and society. I had the good fortune of interacting with Balraj Madhok ji on many occasions". The RSS also issued a formal condolence message signed by the Supremo Mohan Bhagwat on behalf of all swayamsevaks, referring to his contribution of commitment to nation and society. He was a leading RSS pracharak on whom his organization relied for initiating prominent Hindutva projects. But today nobody in the RSS-BJP top hierarchy remembers/talks about Madhok as he was an insider chronicler of the immense degeneration which was spreading as an epidemic in the high echelons of th

Magnetic, stunning, Protima Bedi 'exposed' malice of sexual repression in society

By Harsh Thakor*  Protima Bedi was born to a baniya businessman and a Bengali mother as Protima Gupta in Delhi in 1949. Her father was a small-time trader, who was thrown out of his family for marrying a dark Bengali women. The theme of her early life was to rebel against traditional bondage. It was extraordinary how Protima underwent a metamorphosis from a conventional convent-educated girl into a freak. On October 12th was her 75th birthday; earlier this year, on August 18th it was her 25th death anniversary.

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence

Counterview Desk Reacting to a Counterview  story , "Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'" (January 26, 2016), an avid reader has forwarded  reaction  in the form of a  link , which carries the article "Did Atlee say Gandhi had minimal role in Independence? #FactCheck", published in the site satyagrahis.in. The satyagraha.in article seeks to debunk the view, reported in the Counterview story, taken by retired army officer GD Bakshi in his book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai”, which claims that Gandhiji had a minimal role to play in India's freedom struggle, and that it was Netaji who played the crucial role. We reproduce the satyagraha.in article here. Text: Nowadays it is said by many MK Gandhi critics that Clement Atlee made a statement in which he said Gandhi has ‘minimal’ role in India's independence and gave credit to naval mutinies and with this statement, they concluded the whole freedom struggle.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

'Wrong direction': Paris NGO regrets MNC ArcelorMittal still using coal-based steel

By Rajiv Shah  A new report by Paris-based non-governmental research and campaigning organization, Reclaim Finance, has blamed the MNC ArcelorMittal – formed in 2006 following the takeover and merger of the western European steel maker Arcelor (Spain, France, and Luxembourg) by Indian-owned Mittal Steel – for using use “climate destructive” metallurgical coal for its projects in India.

Attack on foreign students: Gujarat varsity's reputation, ranking at stake, say academics

Counterview Desk  Expressing anguish over the attack on international students in Gujarat University hostels, a letter claimed to have been signed by 122 current and former academics has asked the Gujarat Vice Chancellor, Dr Neerja Gupta, to provide emotional support to the attacked students and to ensure their physical safety.  

Poor private sector engagement 'impacting' carbon pricing policy in Global South

Counterview Desk  The joint report by Environmental Defense Fund and Observer Research Fund, "Navigating Carbon Pricing: The G20 Experience and Global South Prospects", delves into the complex landscape of carbon pricing, examining its application within the G20 nations and the potential implications for emerging economies in the Global South.  The report claims to provide insights and recommendations for effective carbon pricing strategies in diverse economies.  A note: The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Observer Research Foundation (ORF) have launched the Navigating Carbon Pricing: The G20 Experience and Global South Prospects” report. The report delves into the complex landscape of carbon pricing, examining its application within the G20 nations and the potential implications for emerging economies in the Global South. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of various carbon pricing instruments currently in existence, providing valuable i