Navigating Diplomacy: Can Russia and India Maintain Friendship Amidst Geopolitical Complexities?

Navigating Diplomacy: Can Russia and India Maintain Friendship Amidst Geopolitical Complexities?

Ira Singh
5 July’23

In an increasingly interconnected world, geopolitical relationships are constantly evolving, leading to intricate diplomatic dynamics. One such complex situation revolves around Russia and India, two nations that have traditionally enjoyed warm ties. However, the growing closeness between India and the United States, as well as Russia’s deepening partnership with China, has raised questions about the sustainability of their friendship. Can Russia and India maintain their longstanding bond without upsetting their Chinese and American partners?

The comprehensive global strategic partnership between India and the US is a logical outcome of the evolution of Indian politics since the 1990s. At the time, the government of Prime Minister Narasimha Rao began a gradual process of economic liberalisation. The country was to become an attractive target for foreign investment, since there was not enough financial capital domestically.

In recent years, India has witnessed a significant opening up of its economy to foreign investors, with the ‘Make in India’ initiative spearheading the nation’s efforts to attract foreign manufacturers. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his successor, the Indian government has actively encouraged foreign manufacturers to locate their production facilities in the South Asian country. A kind of continuation of the this has been the ‘Self-sufficient India’ (Atmanirbhar Bharat) programme. On the one hand, it is aimed at achieving technological sovereignty, and on the other, it forces foreign manufacturers to localise their production facilities in the country.

Despite the increase in the gross savings rate, India still needs foreign investment to accelerate industrial development and provide jobs for its growing population – these problems are considered existential in New Delhi. In this vein, the US has become a vital partner – no other country has the amount of free capital that can satisfy Indian ‘appetites’, according to information.

New Delhi is especially concerned about the development of the Chinese Navy. From India’s perspective, Beijing wants to ensure dominance in the Indo-Pacific. In this context, cooperation with the Americans is seen by the Indians as one of the few ways to neutralise the threats to their security.

The Indo-American strategic partnership is a long-term trend that no one, including Russia, will be able to reverse. Moscow needs to realize that Indian political elites are expanding their contacts with the Americans not because of pressure from Washington, but because, in their opinion, cooperation with the US is in their national interests.

Russia and China are neighbours with a long history of bilateral relations. The political elites of the Russian Federation and China have similar views on most current global and regional problems, and economic cooperation between the countries is developing at a rapid pace. At the same time, ‘partnership without forming an alliance’ is not directed against third countries; it is calculated solely to satisfy the national interests of Russia and China.

When it comes to Russian-Indian relations, despite the historical achievements and successes of recent years, there have been many problems. They mainly relate to bilateral economic ties: including low rates of trade and investment activity, too much focus on a limited amount of key areas (military-technical cooperation, nuclear energy, oil and gas sector), and a low awareness among private sector players regarding each other’s markets.

These problems are surmountable. Russia’s need for reliable foreign economic partners and its policy of diversifying its economic ties creates the conditions for the two countries to achieve a structural transformation of their relations. Moscow must recognize that New Delhi’s development of relations with Washington is driven by its own national interests. India, a rising global power, seeks to expand its economic, technological, and defense capabilities. Strengthening ties with the United States offers access to advanced technology, capital investments, and strategic cooperation on shared security concerns. Russia, in turn, needs to understand and respect India’s aspirations for growth and progress.

Likewise,India must reciprocate by acknowledging Russia’s strategic importance in its foreign policy calculus. Russia has been a longstanding partner, providing India with crucial defense technology, energy resources, and a platform for diplomatic engagement. It has consistently supported India on critical global issues and played a significant role in shaping India’s defense capabilities For India to nurture its relationship with Russia, it must recognize Moscow’s own unique geopolitical challenges, including its deepening ties with China.

China’s rapid rise as a global power has prompted both Russia and India to deepen their engagements with Beijing. Russia and China have strengthened their economic and military cooperation, forming a strategic partnership that has shaped regional dynamics. Similarly, India and China share a complex relationship, characterized by economic interdependence, border disputes, and geopolitical competition. For India to sustain its friendship with Russia, it must navigate its ties with China with sensitivity, ensuring that it does not undermine Moscow’s strategic interests.

It is essential for Russia, India, China, and the United States to recognize that geopolitical realities demand flexibility and adaptability in their partnerships. Constructive dialogue, mutual respect, and a nuanced understanding of each other’s concerns will be vital in sustaining the delicate balance of friendships in the face of geopolitical complexities.

The answer to-‘if Russia and India can strive to maintain their friendship while also nurturing their relationships with other global powers’lies in acknowledging mutual interests and pursuing diplomacy with caution.

Follow up:
The economic interest of the countries in each other has been superimposed by political factors. India’s defeat in the Sino-Indian War of 1962 was a blow for New Delhi, from which the modern Indian political elite has been unable to recover. The rapid economic development of China, compounded by an accelerated military build-up, has intensified alarmist sentiments in India.