India must Brush Aside Any Western Sanctions On Indo Russian Trade
By
Colonel Awadhesh Kumar
America and Western Countries have sanctioned Russia over Ukraine. It needs to be just brushed aside by India if any country even dares to apply it on any type of trade between India and Russia.
India makes its own foreign policies and will abide by only those sanctions that are imposed by United Nations on any country. All other unilateral sanctions not passed by UN should be just ignored by India.
All those who are worried that the spate of additional sanctions imposed by the US and its NATO partners on Russia following the ongoing military standoff over Ukraine is likely to adversely impact India at multiple levels, particularly with regard to materiel supplies for which New Delhi is hugely dependent upon Moscow, should Just calm down. No matter what, India is not going to jump and join the Western Band Wagon.
From 2011 to 2020 India has been reducing its dependence on Foreign military imports and has done this by some 33%. It has also diversified its network of materiel suppliers. So now if some think that India will turn to USA or the West, especially after the Western Sanctions on Russia, then they are highly mistaken. India will not abandon its time tested Friend Russia. Also any switching will entail colossal expenditure, reworked infrastructure and inordinate delays. It will also lay us open to blackmail as numerous strings are attached to any American or British military Supply, as seen from the past. It will also curtail our independent Foreign Policy initiatives.
When the American and Western Sanctions after the Nuclear tests in 1998 could not dent our resolve then why the he’ll are some groups worried about such Sanctions in 2021 when India is already the third largest economy (PPP terms) and fourth largest military power.
The US President Joe Biden has already announced the first lot of of sanctions upon Moscow for recognising two breakaway regions of Ukraine. Biden has further warned Russia that if it escalated the situation further by invading Ukraine, Washington would ‘go further with sanctions’. NATO too had responded similarly by enforcing financial and related sanctions on Moscow over the past 24 hours.
The above sanctions do not have the authority of the United Nations and needs to ignored completely. Small nations may suffer but India, China, Iran and many others will just ignore such sanctions.
So it is not understood as to why a cross-section of serving and retired service officers and defence analysts in New Delhi are “fearing “ that India’s military now faces the ‘grim and worrying’ prospect of interrupted and interminably delayed Russian defence kit, critical to ensuring operational readiness. They said such disruptions acquired ‘grave ramifications’ at a time when India faced a collusive threat along its disputed northern and western borders from nuclear rivals Pakistan and China, operating in tandem.
Though they are unable to explain as to why there will be delay on supply of any Russian item and why there will be a delay in Indian goods reaching Russia. Both Russian domestic defence industry and Indian industry will firmly and timely meet their obligations. Moscow is Delhi’s principal defence equipment providers, and it will ensure a steady supply of not only critical Russian military platforms, but spares and ancillaries for the bulk of equipment already in service. Sanctions on Moscow will cause no dent in India’s overall military capability in the short and medium term. In the long term as it is, India will have become more self sufficient.
India certainly awaits delivery of three more S-400 Triumf self-propelled surface-to-air (SAM) missile systems ( two have been delivered ), two Project 1135.6M frigates ( two more are being made at Goa ), one or two Project 971 ‘Akula’ (Schuka-B)-class nuclear powered submarine (SSN) and 20,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 7.62x39mm assault rifles. These deals have been in pipeline over a period. There are many other kits, ammunition and equipment for upgradation purposes etc.
Some others are worried “ Sick “ that the US and European sanctions on Russia could conceivably jeopardise India’s recent $375 million BrahMos cruise missile export order from the Philippines. Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) is responsible for providing the missile systems engine and seekers. However no western embargo can threaten India’s first major overseas contract to boost materiel exports fivefold, to INR 40000crores 2025. These missile use no Western made Components. Thanks to Missile Technology Control Regime imposed on India, we have developed our own capabilities.
Presently around 40 %, if not more, of India’s military’s assets are of Soviet and Russian origin, necessitating continued servicing, maintenance, overhaul and in some instances upgradation of a large proportion of them by their Original Equipment Manufacturers or OEMs.
India has no place for such Western gimmicks. We need to stand up like a rock and fight for our own National interest.
