Complexity in India – Russia relations

Context-

Recently a diplomat from Australia supported India’s strategic engagement with Russia claiming that India has to deal with China In the north eastern border.

Russia remains an all-weather friend for India, even at UNSC Russia has been supporting India’s stand.
Russia being a major veto power Has helped India in Kashmir issue.
Even in the Cold War period Russia has been a constant supporter apart from this India import most of its defence equipment’s from Russia.
Even though India has been diversifying its defence needs to countries such as USA and Israel Russia still remains a major defence partner.
In this context India faces a diplomatic challenge of balancing the western powers and its age old relations with Russia.
But since the 1990s in the new liberal global order India has strengthened its relations with the West especially United States of America.

Apart from dealing with the land border, India has large maritime borders Where it has to deal with Chinese assertiveness.
Hence The Quad grouping plays a major role in the Indian Ocean region.
Japan Australia and USA being naval super powers can help India in countering China’s assertiveness.

With China’s Naval expansion, Many in the region especially the Southeast Asian countries and other small countries in the Indian Ocean region face the threat of expansion of China.
India being a major country in this region can play a huge role in upholding the balance of power.

Source: THE HINDU