Russia is the world’s largest country extending halfway around the globe. To the west, it borders Finland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia and Belarus. The much longer southern frontier extends into Central Asia. India’s relation with the former USSR has been a part of history, but it developed rapidly after the visits of Khrushchev and Bulganin to India and Nehru’s visit to the Soviet Union.
Since 1955, Indo- Soviet relations have reached a new scale and dimension and regarded as a good example of bilateral and interstate relations. The Soviets have openly declared that Indo-Soviet friendship has become a part of their ‘tradition’. People to people relationship is a comer stone of their foreign policy. Soviet Union contributed immensely for the development of industries and technology in India. The defence ties between the two countries helped India in building a credible defence structure.
Its steadfast diplomatic support in the UN, on the Kashmir and Goa issues, is commendable. The use of Veto-power in the Security Council to support India in 1971 war with Pakistan was crucial. Soviet Russia adopted the Communist ideology and India accepted Democratic Socialism. Despite the ideological differences, the two countries forged a long time Treaty of friendship for 20 years.
Factors of Indo-USSR close ties:
1. Both India and USSR consider that the peaceful settlement of disputes between states as most crucial for the future of human race.
2. Both believe in natural freedom and social equality as prerequisite of just world order.
3. Support to liberation movements across the world are recognized by both the countries.
4. Both Countries opposed all forms of colonialism, imperialism, and racial discrimination.
Thus, India and USSR have realized geopolitical significance and the need to strengthen bilateral ties. This is to ensure the settlement of regional problems and establishment of global peace and prosperity.
1. Disintegration of Soviet Union: In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev, the President of USSR introduced economic and political reforms of ‘Perestroika’(restructuring ) and ‘Glasnost (openness). That stopped the arms race with US, withdrew Soviet troops from Afghanistan, helped the unification of Germany, ended the cold war.
Other weaknesses inherent in the Soviet Union led to the disintergration of USSR and formation of 15 new countries in 1991. India recognized all of them as Sovereign states and established new diplomatic relations. Ten of them joined together to form a new associations with Russia called (CIS) (Commonwealth of Independent States).
2. Bilateral relations: The new leadership in Russia and other Republics of the erstwhile Soviet Union hold India in high regard due to India’s secular approach to politics, its stable democratic system of assuring rights and equality to all its citizens, self reliant industrial and conomic base and its genuine concern for vital global issues e.g. peace, disarmament, economic development, human rights and democratization of international organization particularly of the UN and its agencies.
Russia continues its support to India to become a permanent member in UN Security Council. India and Russia both have multi faceted relationship involving strategic and high level cooperation. The process of bilateral annual summits has given great impetus to bilateral relations. Indo- Russia cooperation has continued to move stronger on the basis mutual interest, faith, friendship and past relations.
