India-Russia defecnce relation has been a cause for concern for the United States.
In this context, here is how India’s defence ties with Russia evolved and an assessment of its inevitability.
How did Russia evolve as India’s defence partner?
In early 1966, India’s Atomic Energy Establishment started a feasibility programme on naval nuclear propulsion.
Homi Bhabha initiated the programme.
This was primarily on the expectation that the US Atomic Energy Commission (USAEC) would assist in India’s quest to develop marine propulsion.
[Marine propulsion would demonstrate India’s impressive capabilities in the field of nuclear energy.]
However, the U.S. was wary of sharing its naval reactor technology with other states. Thereupon, the programme languished for almost 15 years.
India’s nuclear scientists and the Indian Naval engineers struggled to design and develop a viable reactor system for naval propulsion.
In addition, the sanctions regime imposed after the 1974 Peaceful Nuclear Explosion in India made the task more difficult.
Having technological challenges with the indigenous efforts, Indian government turned to Russia for assistance.
In the early 1980s, Russia agreed to help India’s indigenous nuclear submarine programme.
It also agreed to leasing India its first nuclear submarine.
This led to the beginning of Indo-Russian cooperation in naval nuclear submarines.
So clearly, the idea and inspiration for naval nuclear propulsion for the Indian Navy came from the technological progress made by the US.
However, its implementation was done with the help of Russia.
What was the U.S.’s role in this regard?
U.S. was not very happy with the collaboration between Russia and India on nuclear submarines.
Indian Navy was prepared to take over its first nuclear submarine from the Soviet Union in 1987.
But, the US put immense pressure upon Russia to defer the lease.
So in November 1987, even when the process of transfer was almost complete, Soviet naval high command barred the Indian crew from boarding the submarine.
It resulted in a major diplomatic standoff between New Delhi and Moscow.
However, during the cold war, the US’ disapproval of the Indo-Russian nuclear submarine cooperation was primarily based on nuclear non-proliferation and arms control policy.
The necessity to maintain a strategic balance in South Asia was also a priority then.
Eventually, after the end of the cold war, Indo-US relations entered into a period of strategic embrace.
So, Washington largely ignored the technological partnership between New Delhi and Moscow thereafter.
What are the recent developments?
In March 2019, India signed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Russia.
It was agreed to lease another of its Akula-Class attack nuclear submarines (SSN).
The nuclear submarine will join the Indian Navy in 2025.
India had earlier leased an Akula-class SSBN from Moscow in 2012.
Rechristened as Chakra in the Indian fleet, it will continue to serve the Indian Navy until the commissioning of the new Akula submarine (2025 likely).
What are U.S.’s present concerns?
India’s Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Russia has invited serious concern from the U.S.
Indo-US relations have strengthened significantly in the last quarter of a century.
U.S. has also made significant presence in India’s defence market, which was once an exclusive preserve of the Russian defence industry.
The resultant market competition and the rising tensions between U.S. and Russia have made things hard for India.
As U.S. attempts to punish Russia through sanctions, it has increasingly become intolerant of India’s arms deals with Russia.
How does the future look?
Continued Russian assistance is vital to India’s indigenous nuclear submarine programme.
Therefore, the US’ disapproval will only marginally affect India’s decision-making.
The concerns are unlikely to give in to the US demands for revising India’s defense relationship with Russia.
India also has a more considerable geostrategic interest in this regard.
If India gives in to U.S. demand, it would further push Russia to strengthen ties with China.
Notably, an independent Russia is essential to keep Asia’s geopolitics in balance.
In all, Indo-Russian defence cooperation, especially in the naval nuclear domain, will continue to prosper irrespective of US concerns.
