Amidst growing differences between India and Russia due to India’s growing closeness with the US and Russia’s congruence with China, India and Russia held the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit to discuss the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including regional and global issues. Recent events saw the distancing of Russia from India through the re-evaluation of its position as regards to AF-Pak region and the Indo-Pacific. Further Russia’s worsening relations with the West and lack of support for its position including from India saw the necessity to sit down and discuss the issues and reduce the trust deficit among the two. India and Russia focused on ways to boost bilateral cooperation in areas ranging from defence to energy and a coordinated approach to regional issues. N Chandra Shekar reports…
INDIAN PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasising the importance of strategic relations between the two nations. Referring to the Russian President as a “friend”, PM Modi said “our meeting today will strengthen our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. The initiatives that we take today will further increase the scope of our cooperation to new areas’.
Modi also noted in his opening remarks that this was only Putin’s second foreign visit since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and reflects his personal commitment to bilateral relations. The year 2021 is important for bilateral ties as it marks five decades of the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation of 1971 and two decades of the bilateral strategic partnership, he added.
In his opening remarks ahead of the bilateral meeting He said, “2021 is also special for our Strategic Partnership. Today was the inaugural meeting of the 2+2 dialogue between our Foreign and Defence Ministers. This has started a new mechanism to enhance our practical cooperation,”. India-Russia relations have been one of the success stories of global diplomacy and PM Modi’s warm relationship with President Putin has stood the test of the dynamic geopolitical situations and their congruence on global issues will influence regional and global politics.
President Putin said Russia perceives India as a “great power” with whom relations “are developing and are looking to the future”. Though trade turnover declined by more than 17% in 2020, the growth was more than 38% in the first nine months of 2021, he said. Total bilateral investments now stand at $38 billion, and this is roughly equally divided, with slightly more investments from the Russian side, Putin said, adding the two sides are also cooperating in areas such as energy, high technology and space. “We continue to work actively in the international arena, and… our positions on very many issues do coincide. We are undoubtedly concerned about everything related to terrorism and the fight against it, as well as drugs and organised crime,” he said. The two sides are also concerned about the developing situation in Afghanistan, he added.
India-Russia economic relations have been lopsided and marked by a steep imbalance favouring Russia. India-Russia annual trade in goods is about $10 billion. Whereas Russia’s trade with China is around $100 billion. In contrast India’s trade with US and China is around $100 billion. During the last 20 summits both sides have been repeatedly reiterating the need for enhancing trade and investment ties. One of the most visible glaring aspect of India Russia ties is its failure to boost trade. Trade between India and Russia has been one way with India becoming Russia’s largest armament buyer other than energy. This summit has dawned on both of them a new sense of realisation to leverage on the strong historical ties and lay new grounds for expansive economic cooperation.
The India-Russia Joint Statement called ‘Partnership for Peace, Progress and Prosperity’ said, “The completion of 5 decades of the 1971 Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation and 2 decades of Declaration on Strategic Partnership is symbolic of the long standing and time-tested India-Russia relations characterized by mutual trust, respect for each other’s core national interests and similarity of positions on various international and regional issues.” The meeting saw the signing of 28 agreements across sectors from defence to energy to space exploration, science and technology, heavy engineering, to trade and investment.
Agreements/MoUs signed during the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi
Roadmap for science, technology and innovation cooperation between the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Government of the Republic of India.
Memorandum of cooperation in the field of intellectual property between the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of the Republic of India and the Federal Service for Intellectual Property, Russian Federation.
Agreement on Program of the Military-Technical Cooperation from 2021-2031. [This 10-year defence cooperation programme outlines the ongoing defence cooperation and future possible cooperation between the two countries. Such agreements have been signed since 1994.]
A MoU between Joint Stock Company Rosgeologia (ROSGEO), a legal entity incorporated under the laws of the Russian Federation and Geological Survey of India (GSI), Ministry of Mines, Government of the Republic of India on cooperation in the field of geoscience. [It seeks cooperation in the field of earth sciences and geological study of subsoil, long-term cooperation in the area of geological onshore and offshore exploration works.]
Protocol on introduction of amendments to the Merchant Shipping Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation. [It introduces an amendment leading to recognising the seafarer’s identity documents.]
A cultural exchange programme between the Ministry of Culture of the Government of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation for the years 2021-2024.
Protocol between the Department of State Support of the Art and Folk Creativity of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and Indian Council for Cultural Relations under the Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India on the organisation of culture festivals between the Russian Federation and the Republic of India for 2022-2023.
An agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on technology protection due to cooperation in the field of research and use of outer space for peaceful purposes and building and operation of launch vehicles and ground-based space infrastructure.
Protocol between Government of the Russian Federation and Government of the Republic of India on allotment of land plots for allocation of Consular offices of the Republic of India in the Russian Federation and terms of housing the Consulate General of the Republic of India in the city of Vladivostok.
Commercial and other Agreements/MoUs
A MoU between Opto-electronics Factory, Dehradun and JSC Rosoboronexport.
A cooperation agreement between Reserve Bank of India and the Bank of Russia in the field of responding to cyber attacks
A MoU on cooperation between ICAI (The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) and IPAR (The Institute of Professional Accountants of Russia). [It seeks to establish collaboration through joint research, quality support, capability and capacity building.]
A MoU for cooperation in the power sector between NTPC Ltd, Government of India Enterprise and Inter Rao-Export LLC.
A memorandum of cooperation between SAIL and Russian Company SSC FSUE TsNIIchermet im. I. P. Bardin. [It seeks to join efforts in carrying out research, technological and strategic work in the field of metallurgical technologies.]
A memorandum of cooperation between JSPL (Jindal Steel and Power Ltd) and Russian Company SSC FSUE TsNIIchermet im. I. P. Bardin. [It seeks to join efforts in carrying out research, technological and strategic work in the field of metallurgical technologies.]
A MoU between JSW Steel Ltd and Russian Company SSC FSUE TsNIIchermet im. I. P. Bardin. [It seeks to join efforts in carrying out research, technological and strategic work in the field of metallurgical technologies.]
A statement of intent of collaboration between IOCL and SIBUR. [It seeks to consider the possibility to explore the feasibility of setting up a Dual Feed Cracker Unit along with downstream units at Odisha.]
A MoU between National Sports University, Imphal and Russian International Olympic University (RIOU), Sochi, Russia.
A MoU between Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata (India) and A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Centre of Marine Biology of the Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (NSCMB FEB RAS) (Russian Federation). [It seeks to establish Centre for Excellence in Blue Economy for collaborative exchanges]
A MoU between Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, India and Southern Federal University, Russia. [It seeks to collaborate on academic and research activities, exchange of academic information, student and faculty exchange etc.]
An agreement for academic collaboration between University of Delhi and Skoltech University, Moscow. [It seeks to promote capacity-building and expertise in scientific areas and is aimed at developing programmes and exchanges for national technological development.]
An agreement between the Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University) and University of Delhi. [It seeks to promote cooperation in life sciences in the fields of Nano-medicine, Regenerative Medicine, Molecular Medicine, Bio-medical Science, Translational Medicine, Pre-clinical and Clinical Research, New Drug Discovery, Industrial Technologies and Entrepreneurship.]
A MoU between Uttar Pradesh FICCI and BCCI, Russia. [It seeks to establish links, exchange experience in international cooperation, small and medium businesses.]
A MoU on manpower supplies between Magic Billion and Volshebny Milliard.
A statement of intent of collaboration between IOCL and Gazpromneft for VGO Hydrocracking Technology, Catalytic Iso-dewaxing for lobs and catalyst regeneration for fixed bed catalyst.
A MoU between Rosneft and OVLled Indian Consortium on Training Cooperation. [It seeks to provide education and training programs in the oil and gas sector.]
A MoU between Indian Trade Promotion Organisation and Roscongress Foundation for bilateral trade cooperation.
A crude oil supply agreement between Rosneft and Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. [It seeks to renew the previous contract between Rosneft and IOCL.]. FOCUS 28 Oct-Nov-Dec | 2021 OPEN TRADE African Continental
