Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, India has called for dialogue and diplomacy, respect for the UN Charter, and upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries involved to end the war. Further, while it did not indulge in any name-calling or explicitly take sides between the two countries, it condemned the civilian mass murders in Ukraine, highlighting the ensuing humanitarian crisis.
India’s position of neutrality came to the foreground when New Delhi abstained on several resolutions in the UN, UN Security Council (UNSC), and the UN General Assembly (UNGA), which have denounced Russia’s invasion strongly over the past year. Despite constant pressure from the West, India decided to secure its own interests and did not partake in the US-led Western sanctions against Russia. Consequently, it has been performing a balancing act between Russia and the Western coalition.
India has chosen to abstain from voting on the UNGA resolution calling for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine, instead favouring dialogue and diplomacy as a means of achieving a lasting solution to the conflict, which will mark its one-year anniversary on February 24th. pic.twitter.com/S87FtJR7SJ
— Rishikesh Kumar (@rishhikesh) February 23, 2023
India-Russia Military Ties
Russia has been the biggest arms supplier for India, accounting for 28% of all its defence imports. In fact, in December 2021, months before the Ukraine war began, India and Russia signed 28 pacts and nine government-to-government agreements, including expanding cooperation in technological protection over their collaboration in space research, a framework of their military ties for the next decade, amendments in the Kalashnikov agreement, and Moscow’s interest in providing New Delhi with additional S-400 air defence systems, among others.
Additionally, in October, Indian-Russian joint venture, BrahMos Aerospace, revealed that its nuclear-capable supersonic surface-to-surface cruise missiles aims to secure $5 billion worth of export orders by 2025, thereby single-handedly achieving Indian PM Narendra Modi’s target for the entire defence industry.
Unlike in the past, India doesn't shy to take positions.
— BJP (@BJP4India) February 22, 2023
For a long time, India has been shying from taking hard positions. However, under PM Modi, on international issues, India can take a stand on complex issues.
A classic example is the Russia-Ukraine war.
- Shri @JPNadda pic.twitter.com/R1p8KVFTir
Thus, it may be useful to consider the strong defence relations between India and Russia since the Soviet era, and the growing threat from China, especially in Ladakh. Experts believe that China’s proximity with India’s archenemy, Pakistan, may lead to Beijing declaring Pakistan occupied Kashmir as an independent state. Moreover, Russia and China’s “no limits” partnership acts as an impetus for India to stem it from spiralling out of control and endangering New Delhi’s security.
In this respect, India has also diversified its weapons exports, making the US its third-largest arms supplier. To this end, New Delhi and Washington agreed to jointly manufacture drones in India and are working on concluding a $3 billion deal, which involves producing 30 drones.
India Slammed for Importing Discounted Russian Oil
In March last year, India disclosed that it was “happy to take” Russia’s offer of buying oil at a “heavy discount” to mitigate the surging prices, resulting in strong condemnation from the US. Soon after, US President Joe Biden called India’s response to the Ukraine crisis as “somewhat shaky” and not in line with other Quad allies, such as the US, Japan, and Australia.
#WATCH | India buying oil from Russia is none of our business. If you get it at a low price, I can't blame India for it. India is an appropriate candidate to come up with a solution (to stop Russia- Ukraine war). India has skilled & good diplomacy: German Ambassador to India pic.twitter.com/0KuHHBZnII
— ANI (@ANI) February 22, 2023
Furthermore, Biden administration officials warned New Delhi of severe “consequences.” Even Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba criticised India’s decision, saying each barrel has a “good portion of Ukrainian blood in it.”
Nonetheless, Russia became India’s biggest crude oil supplier, overtaking Iraq and Saudi Arabia, accounting for 22% of New Delhi’s total oil imports in November 2022. In India’s defence, Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri reiterated that there is no “moral conflict” with importing discounted Russian oil.
Meanwhile, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar claimed that the oil deal worked to India’s advantage, and it is his duty to keep New Delhi’s interests foremost and find the best possible deal for Indian people. In fact, India’s independent foreign policy inspired other South Asian countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan to forge contracts to import discounted Russian oil.
India’s Proactive Foreign Policy
Despite multiple requests from the West, India refused to budge from its stance of revoking the wheat export ban in May to ensure food security for its own people. The EU, too, understood India’s importance in geopolitics and resumed talks on the bilateral free trade agreement, which were stalled in 2013, last April.
"even if Washington doesn't like it, Biden administration officials say they understand why India has not condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and they're willing to grant India a wide berth." Very true.https://t.co/UdS3O0zj1C
— Derek J. Grossman (@DerekJGrossman) February 21, 2023
Though India has continued to boost its partnership with the US, it has not shied away from criticising Washington’s actions related to human rights abuses in the US, nor stayed silent when European officials blasted New Delhi’s ill-perceived lack of action for Kyiv.
Additionally, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in September, Modi raised his concerns regarding the Ukraine war with Putin, famously saying, “I know that today’s era is not of war,” which resonated worldwide. In his various conversations with the Russian leader, the Indian PM repeated often that only diplomacy could sort out the issue.
India has even expanded its ties with Ukraine in trade, agriculture, and energy, and tried in vain to play peacemaker between Ukraine and Russia. Nevertheless, Russia has welcomed India’s position, and understood its need to safeguard national security, lamenting that the West did not share New Delhi’s objectivity.
French Diplomatic sources says Paris has reached out to India when it comes to Russia Ukraine conflict & the French side maintains close contact with New Delhi on the issue.
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) February 21, 2023
However, when Russia’s nuclear rhetoric gained fervour, Modi cancelled the India-Russia annual meeting in December, which analysts believe was a subtle message.
While India has grown in world stature, it has successfully accommodated being neutral without getting isolated, by making proactive choices to prioritise protecting its national interests.