Vladimir Putin’s visit to India will provide a new powerful impetus for further development of the strategic partnership between the two countries. Regular meetings between the leaders of India and Russia played crucial role in fostering better understanding and improving relationship between the two nations.
On December 24 President Vladimir Putin will visit India on the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This is President Putin’s first visit after being re-elected as President of Russia for the third time. This visit will provide a new powerful impetus for further development of the strategic partnership between the two countries. Regular meetings between the leaders of the two nations played crucial role in fostering better understanding and improving relationship between the two nations. President Putin’s visit will reinforce the interests of both states in maintaining their traditionally close and friendly relationship.
In recent times, both India and Russia have been pursuing a multi-vector approach in their foreign policies. In a nutshell, both countries do not want to act as members of any bloc, rather wish to pursue independent and flexible foreign policies keeping their respective national interests and aspirations to become important powers in mind. Today, the geopolitical scene is gradually shifting from west to east; hence, India, Russia and China in particular are emerging as important players in international politics.
Vladimir Putin for India means someone who was the initiator to formulate strategic partnership with India in the year 2000. Russia was the first country with whom India established a strategic partnership and in the year 2010 (during the 11th Summit), India and Russia elevated their relationship to a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,” status, indicating a mutual desire to emphasize the exceptional closeness of ties even though both India and Russia developed new external relationships with other countries.
Now India and Russia have reached a stage where both their economies are resurgent and also at the same time diversifying. Russia was going through a transitional phase with internal changes within the country; however, with present government’s initiation and numerous reform policies, it is now more stable than it was during the 1990s. Over the last few years both the Nations have achieved significant rates of economic growth.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin’s recent official preparatory trip for President Putin’s visit to India has already set out plans to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Russia and India. It is expected that during President Putin’s forthcoming visit talk on the issues related to boosting up trade and economic cooperation between both the countries by increasing existing cooperation in both civilian and military technology is likely to be discussed thoroughly. Both sides will focus the discussion on enhancing trade and economic prospects by solving out investment issues that are coming-up as a stumbling block for continuing the smooth trade and economic activities. Issue of easing visa regulations for the businesses sector people as well as for both white and blue collar labor will be closely looked into as that will help in adding the volume of trade and business activities between both the nations. Another important agenda that will come-up during the visit will be on resolving difference on the forthcoming two reactors that is to be set up at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.
Russia’s preference for multipolarity and encouragement for the promotion of groupings like RIC (Russia-India-China), BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa), as well as SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) is intended to create a forum outside the Western block where India and Russia along with other countries can discuss issues without western pressure. Now India and Russia is also looking into new areas for collaboration such as in democratization process, in social policy diffusion, in religious dialogues, in promoting secularism, tolerance, multi-ethnicity, for developments of internal economic management and planning etc., which are very significant areas for both India and Russia and needs to be addressed.
As far as local debate in India is concerned there are two schools of thought; one feels that relationship with Russia is significant for India and other feels when Russia is expanding its relationship with countries like China and Pakistan, India should not stay away from developing its ties with US. However, there is a consensus on one aspect within these two groups is that Russia is indeed a great partner of India and that needs to be maintained. Indo-Russian cooperation can be boosted up even further if people to people contact can be increased and cultural as well as educational linkages can be enhanced. However, amidst all these issues and concerns there is a hope that President Putin’s visit will further help in boosting India-Russia friendship and the strategic partnership, which will scale towards new heights. Today, India-Russia relationship has many positive dimensions and can move on steadily.
