Indo-Russian ties: Arms deal strong as ever

-By Pritam S Rana
Published on The Kathmandu Post, Thursday, October 12, 2000

Russian President Valadimir Putin's recent visit to India marks the continuation of more than 40 yerars of strategic partnership between the two countries. India and the former Soviet Union first signed the Friendship and Cooperation treaty in the early sixties, a key clause in it allowed the Indians to purchase Russian armmament at reduced "friendly price". The special relationship between India and Russia has continued though it soemwhat changed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The Russian decision to sell arms tot he Indians was in line wityh their policy of seeking allies and sympathizers for theirt cause cause during the Cold War. India, on its part, was concerned with its arch-rival Pakistan's entry into SEATO (South Asia Treaty Organization), a US led collective security organization, which insured a steady flow of US arms to Pakistan. It is to be noted that India itself refused to join SEATO for it would contradict India's avowed stand of neutrality in the Cold War. Some still believe that Indian leaders of the time were sympathetic to Moscow due to the fact that both countries pursued socialistic principles. The more realistic reason (raison de'etre, comments please) was however, economics. The Russians offered their arms for a fraction of the price Western weapons cost. Besides, Indian policy makers perceived that the threat posed by China required large arms purchases from abroad. The Indians could not find a better deal. In the 1962 Sino-Indian border war, China captured large chunks of Indian territory in Aksai Chin (Eastern Kashmir) and NEFA (area north of Assam). From then onwards, Indian security perception was dominated by China so much that it preceded Pakistan. Also during this time, the Sino-Soviet schism had intensified and there were border incidents between the erstwhile communist allies. Thus, Soviet arms export to India served the strategy of anatagonizing and isolating China China as well.

Moscow began supplying arms worth billions and billions of dollars to New Delhi, which included weapons of every category, meant for all the three services of Indian defense, namely the Army, Air Force and the Navy. The Indian Army received tanks, personnel carriers, artillery, antitank missiles and guns nad transport trucks. the Indian Air Force took jet interceptors, strike aircraft, transport aircraft, surface to air missiles and related radar equipment. The Indian Navy gradually added destroyers, corvettes, missile boats, submarines and realted weapons and spares. This trend continued ... (to be continued)


(to be continued....)
Note:- India's refusal to sign SEATO resulted in India's alignment with Russia. India could serve as a conduit for re-export of sensitive technology to Moscow.