Even though India may have been occupied with diversifying its foreign policy by nurturing good relationship with its Western partners, it knows and values the ‘’time-tested friendship’’ with Russia much more, a strategic expert has told Sputnik India.
Qamar Agha, a New Delhi based expert on strategic issues, argues that India is engaging with the US and other Western countries in the defense sector based on its “need of the hour”, however the South Asian giant is quite clear on its relations and policy with Russia.
‘’Indo-Russia cooperation, as people would know, is not limited to just defense cooperation. The relationship between the two goes far beyond. Russia played a significant role in [the] industrial development of India,” Agha added that sectors like space, nuclear technology, and steel plants have received crucial help and support from Russia whenever needed.
The Indian public vividly remembers Russia's history of providing crucial assistance and unwavering support during periods when India found itself in peril and facing isolation from its Western allies. The expert pointed out that this support was evident during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, as well as in other instances when the former Soviet Union extended a helping hand to New Delhi.
“It’s the natural interest that demands India have close ties with Russia, the country that provided everything it needed when it was growing up,” he told Sputnik India.
The strategic analyst also expressed the opinion that as India strives to achieve self-reliant across all sectors of its economy, including defense and energy, and Russia is once again supporting it by providing essential expertise and assistance.
“Indians feel far closer to the people of Russia, but they don’t relate themselves the same way with the people of Western countries, and this reflects in the overall policy of India as well,” the strategic expert pointed out.