• Friday, March 29, 2024

HEADLINE STORY

India continues with diplomatic balancing act between Russia, United States

(L-R) Russian president Vladimir Purin (Photo by ALEXEY MAISHEV/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images), Indian PM Narendra Modi (Photo by Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images) and US president Joe Biden (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

By: Shubham Ghosh

While India no more follows the Nehruvian idea of non-alignment the way it did during the Cold War era, one would say that the country makes a heavy effort towards balancing its foreign policy priorities today when the world has found itself polarised again deeply, more so after the war in Ukraine started earlier this year.

Under the leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi, India has worked towards improving relations with both Russia and the western world that are at loggerheads and irrespective of pressure to move away from the Kremlin, one of its time-tested allies. It attaches equal significance to international platforms such as BRICS and SCO of which Russia is a member and blocs such as G7 which mainly includes the western economies and removed Russia.

The balancing act was seen once again this week.

India keen to strengthen ties with Russia on Arctic subjects: Modi

Indian prime minister Modi on Wednesday (7) said that his country is keen to improve ties with Russia on Arctic subjects and there is an immense scope for cooperation between the two nations in the field of energy.

In an online plenary session address at the Eastern Economic Forum organised in the Russian city of Vladivostok and also attended by Russian president Vladimir Putin, Modi said India has been emphasising the need to adopt the path of diplomacy and dialogue since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict and it supports all peaceful efforts to end the conflict, Press Trust of India reported.

Recalling his participation at the forum summit physically in 2019, the PM said India had announced its “Act Far-East” policy at that time and as a result of that, India’s cooperation with the Russian Far East has increased in various fields.

“This policy has now become a key pillar of the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’ between India and Russia,” the prime minister added.

“This month itself, 30 years are being completed since the establishment of the Consulate of India in Vladivostok. India was the first country to open a consulate in this city. Since then, this city has been witness to many milestones in our relationship,” he added

“I congratulate Putin for his vision for establishing this forum,” the prime minister said.

Modi further said connectivity will play a key role in India’s relationships with the region, “Along with energy, India has also made significant investments in the Russian Far East in the fields of pharma and diamonds,” he said.

Stronger case for strong India-US collaboration, says Indian foreign minister

Indian external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said a day before in New Delhi that the case for stronger collaboration between India and the US has become even stronger with the current globalisation model coming under threat because of long-standing trends and from challenges such as pandemic, conflict and climate events, PTI reported.

Addressing the India Ideas Summit organised by the US-India Business Council in the national capital, Jaishankar said with strong political comfort, India and the US were together shaping regional and global developments including via collaborations, such as the Quad and I2U2.

“In infrastructure, asset monetization, digital economy, education, health, startups, drones, geo-spatial, blue economy, green hydrogen, a more energetic and innovative India awaits new partnership prospects,” he said on Tuesday (6).

Jaishankar said from defence and security, societal and businesses, the India-US ties extend to all facets of human endeavour.

“The India of today is ‘Aatmanirbhar‘ (self reliant). An India that seeks to develop greater capabilities, strengthen its own supply chains, excite its innovators and encourage its talents. An India that is exporting more, inventing more, collaborating more and working more effectively,” the minister said.

“We are confident that with growing familiarity and contacts, the natural complementarity of India and US will assert itself for the benefit of our peoples,” he added.

[With PTI inputs]

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