Greece (Brussels Morning) – Russia continues to be a significant supplier of weapons to India, with Russian equipment constituting a large part of the Indian Armed Forces’ arsenal. However, Russia is encountering increasing competition in the Indian arms market. India’s efforts to diversify its sources of weaponry and to develop its own defense industry have led to a reduction in Russian arms deliveries to India in recent years. The Russian invasion of Ukraine did not deter the sale of weapons and other technologies but brought to the forefront the deep relationship between Delhi and the Kremlin. A relationship that has evolved over decades at the expense of Brussels, Washington, and London.
Arms Deals and long term Alliances
From a security perspective, over 60% of India’s military hardware comprises weapons of Soviet or Russian origin, including tanks, an aircraft carrier, and surface-to-air missile systems. Officials noted that New Delhi will need Russian spare parts for maintenance and repair for nearly two decades. India and Russia collaborate on the production of the BrahMos cruise missile and plan to manufacture AK-203 rifles domestically.
However, challenges have arisen, such as the Indian Air Force’s statement last year about Russia’s failure to meet its delivery commitments for an unspecified major platform. Additionally, the delivery of components for an air defense system, which India purchased in 2018 for $5.5 billion, has been delayed by over a year, according to two Indian military officials.
Russia has been a steadfast and reliable partner for India, with the development of India-Russia relations being a cornerstone of India’s foreign policy. Since the “Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership” was signed in October 2000 during President Putin’s visit, the ties between the two nations have evolved significantly, encompassing enhanced cooperation across various domains such as politics, security, defense, trade and economy, science and technology, culture, and interpersonal connections.
The Strategic Partnership was elevated to a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” during President Putin’s visit to India in December 2010. This partnership is supported by several institutionalized dialogue mechanisms at both political and official levels, ensuring ongoing interaction and progress in collaborative activities.
The two countries have developed the agreements they had signed into committees, similar to those of the European Union, on a range of strategic issues including defense, economic, and technological development. What is not understandable is how a country with traditional ties to Great Britain and the United States, which do not have the best relations with China, prefers to make agreements and deepen its alliance with Russia. With Russia, which is economically dependent on Beijing and does not proceed with any international investment without cooperation with China.
The India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission (IRIGC) is divided into two sections: the Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), led by India’s External Affairs Minister and Russia’s Prime Minister; and the Military and Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC), overseen by the Defense Ministers of both countries. In December 2021, the bilateral cooperation gained a new dimension with the inaugural 2+2 Dialogue involving the Foreign and Defense Ministers of both nations, held in conjunction with the Summit-level talks between President Putin and Prime Minister Modi.
Reliable Allies
In the past twenty years, India has expended $60 billion on Russian weapons. However, as per the latest report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, these imports have been decreasing steadily. They dropped from 76 percent during 2009–2013 to just 36 percent in the last five years. This period marks the first five-year span since the 1960s where Russian defense exports accounted for less than half of India’s arms imports.
But this decline is temporary, coinciding with the development of the Indian defense industry. It is also a unique opportunity for India and other countries to make deals with the West, lowering prices and gaining access to new technology as a counterbalance to the reduction in purchases from Moscow. Indeed, this opportunism is a significant testament to who the real allies of the West are, who is exploiting circumstances, and who did not follow suit but instead made deals when it was possible and profitable. Because allies and economic partners should not be present only in easy situations, especially during this period of global destabilization.
For India, Russia continues to be a crucial supplier of both weapons and, more recently, oil. India has chosen not to participate in the West’s sanctions against Russia, underscoring its independent foreign policy. From Russia’s perspective, India serves as a vital market for its arms and oil. While the security relationship between India and the U.S. is relatively recent, the India-Russia partnership has been strong for over two generations. Consequently, India has no reason to abandon the advantage.
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