Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev visited India. He visited this state after a representative of the Indian side expressed dissatisfaction with the cancellation of the joint military exercises. This visit should confirm that the geopolitical cooperation of the two states continues. The Kremlin also has reasons for disappointment. Thus, in the tender, which involved the supply of over 100 fighters, the Russian plane was rejected. But, despite some failures, the military-industrial complexes of Russia and India are successfully cooperating.
Nikolai Patrushev headed an interdepartmental delegation in India. The agenda of the talks includes issues of energy, space, military-technical cooperation. Among the topics discussed were issues of interaction within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The members of this organization are Russia, Tajikistan, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. India participates in it as an observer. From recent statements by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, it is clear that India, together with Pakistan, can be admitted to the SCO. China, like India, has not yet voiced its position on this issue.
So, in connection with a decrease in the number of NATO troops, and later their complete withdrawal from Afghanistan, diplomats in neighboring countries are discussing the SCO's possibilities to contribute to stabilizing the situation in the region.
India, to some extent, is already involved in affairs in Afghanistan. She provides this state with great assistance in the revival of the economy. Many Indians work in medical institutions, build roads. The employees of the Indian diplomatic mission in Kabul were attacked by terrorists.
From this perspective, discussions between Indian and Russian officials may speed up the response to the problem of whether the SCO can significantly affect security in Central Asia.
The relationship between the military-industrial circles and the armies of the two countries is another intrigue. As previously reported, a representative of the Indian Ministry of Defense, during a conversation with a journalist of the Times of India newspaper, expressed bewilderment about the fact that the ships of the Russian Navy did not take part in the planned, jointly with the Indians, exercises. According to the same publication, the Russian Federation also canceled the joint exercises of the Ground Forces.
This topic, according to the Indian news agency PTI in Moscow, should be discussed in Delhi. It is interesting that, judging by the statements of Indian diplomats, there are no disagreements on the issue of the exercises between the countries. The Russian Federation warned the Indian side in advance that the maneuvers would not take place. Nonetheless, Admiral Nirmal Verma, Commander of the Indian Navy, said the Indian Navy had spent a lot of money to send Indian Navy ships to Vladivostok. Nirmal Verma expressed disappointment that the exercise did not take place.
But this incident was overshadowed by a more significant event. The first 5 MiG-29K / KUB carrier-based fighters were handed over to the Indian side in a solemn ceremony. These aircraft are intended for the Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya (formerly Admiral Gorshkov). The aircraft carrier is being prepared in Severodvinsk to be sent to India.
The head of the Indian Defense Ministry Arakkaparambil Kurian Anthony said that the adoption of this fighter symbolizes an important milestone in the formation of the Indian Navy.
Petr Tapychkanov, senior researcher at IMEMO RAN, said that although not everything goes smoothly in the military-technical cooperation, there is no fiasco.
The Indian side has claims against Russian arms manufacturers, which are often fair. For example, it was announced that as a result of delays in the supply of spare parts, India will look for them in other markets. In practice, this fact means that they will turn to Ukraine.
Apart from Russia, no one jointly with the Indian side is developing the latest types of weapons. There were expectations that the Americans, under the presidency of Barack Obama, will begin to introduce new military technologies to India. But that didn't happen. India is not at all encouraged by the state of relations with the United States, the expert concluded.
