Binding of Indian-Russian Relationships After Sino-Indian 1962 War

Binding of Indian-Russian relationships after Sino-Indian 1962 war.

Introduction

A recent meeting held in New Delhi (Dec, 2014) between the Indian prime minister and the Russian President, with prime focus to strengthen the bilateral trade. Till now, bilateral trade of worth $9.51 billion have taken place in the past. Both countries have set target to achieve trade as high as $30 billion. According to Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, the five major components of Indo-Russian strategic partnerships are: defense, civil nuclear energy, space, politics and anti-terrorism [1].Now India aims to bolster it’s sixth component which has remain dormant for quite a long time - economic growth.

India is second highest importer of ammunitions (from Russia). On the diplomatic side, all this being done is good in this capitalist world to boost trade, but on the other side have the Indo-Soviet relations improved since the Indian liberalization/Soviet disintegration or still on the stage after its strong ties with the west?

Background

Following India’s independence, the nation then had a chance to frame its own foreign policy. Under the leadership of Jawahar Lal Nehru, India decided to follow the five year plan strategy, same as that initiated by USSR under Joseph Stalin’s influence in 1920’s but under the path of a socialist economy. Jawahar Lal Nehru, during his course of graduation from England, got influenced by the ideology of Fabian socialism. India was stirred up by the Soviet’s economic development although it was a part of non-aligned movement. Both the countries shared the same global views such as multilateralism under UN, anti-apartheid, anti-racism.

 After the Britisher’s left India in the deserted state, India was for sure looking for an alternative path of development, not the capitalist, but much more conservative one.

India was reluctant to turn to USSR. Why? India was in a desperate need of external assistance after 1950’s, to revive its economy to global standards. The western denial to support India and on the top of that the US aided Pakistan for it’s military extension, left it with no option but to seek the support from the first world power – The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. [2]

USA vs USSR

US and USSR were the two superpowers back then.
The third world countries after being liberated from the clutches of colonial power of the Europeans, wanted to establish themselves in this new global sphere.
USSR, on the other hand wanted to expand. The country was founded on the ideology based on Marxism, according to which the working class or the proletariat and the capitalists or the bourgeoisie, which were in constant conflict with each other, a stage would come when the proletariat would finally overthrow the capitalists.
In accord with this idea, it was giving military, economic aid to the several newly independent nations. Military in terms of weapons and economic in terms of trade arrangements of their favor.[3]

The Split