Indo-Russian Defence Ties

Why in news?

Amid increasing Indo-US cooperation across domains, there is a rising concerns that India’s historic defence ties with the Russia may take a hit.

What is the recent controvercy? 

• A Russian “Akula-Class nuclear submarine” was leased to India in 2012 for period of 10 years.
• The lease restricted deploying the vessel for offensive operations and had multiple clauses for ensuring its operational and technical secrecy.
• Recently, a Russian news website accused the Indian Navy of having opened the vessal to a US technical team for inspection.
• While the report turned out to be false, the issue raised eyebrows in strategic circles and brought the critical Indo-Russian navel partnership into focus.

What is the historical evolution of the Indo-Russia defence ties? 

• USSR was India’s strategic partner during the Cold War and also its primacy military equipment supplier. 
• Moscow started supplying naval equipment to India from 1964 and by 1987, these supplies made 70% of the Indian Navy’s inventory.
• Subsequently, Moscow loaned the first nuclear submarine to India in 1988, which was commissioned in the Indian navy as INS Chakra.  
• An understanding was also reached for accessing Soviet assistance to India’s navy prsonals and assist the  indigenous nuclear submarine programme.
• The soviet mandate spelt out in clear terms, that no technical parameters were leaked during the period of the lease.
• In this regard, India established strict protocols for the Vishakapatnam dockyard and even closely monitored various security parameters.

What is the significance of Russia?

• From being an exclusive preserve of the Russian defence industry, the Indian Navy is now increasingly looking forward to American hardware.
• India currently looks to the US for top-of-the-line defence equipment like attack helicopters, artillery guns, and advanced transport aircrafts
• Notably, Russian Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance aircrafts have been replaced by USA’s P-8 I Poseidon aircrafts of the same type.
• India also intends to establish ties for commencing joint arns production with the US and jointly organises the annual Indo-US-Japan Malabar exercises.
• But despite this growing Indo-US bonhomie, India continues to buy/lease Russia equipments on a considerable scale.
• Most importantly, Russia’s technological assistance to India’s indigenous nuclear submarine programme ‘Arihant class’ has been immense.

What is the way forward?

• Given this history of cooperation and India’s need for continued Russian assistance, it is not currently possible for India to abandon this ago old bond.
• Notably, the reluctance in signing the “Communication and Information Security Agreement” with the US emanates partly from such concerns.
• While some vouch for taking US technical assistence in naval nuclear propulsion, it wont be easy for India to extract such co-operation currently.
• Hence, Russian primacy in Indian Navy’s scheme of thing for indespensible for the foreseeable future.

Source: Business Line