WHAT exactly is the current relationship between India and Russia? Is it warm, cold, chilly or just the same as it has been for a long time? No one really knows but there is a lot of guess work going on and there'sthe rub. Is Russia angry with India for supposedly getting close to the United States? Is it showing its anger? Has the visit of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to Moscow done anything to improve matters?
On November 15, The Indian Express published an article by V. Sudarshan that, to say the least, is disquieting. According to him, towards October 17, India'sForeign Minister Pranab Mukherjee was reportedly given ?a somewhat rough treatment at the ceremonial departure lounge?? at Moscow airport. He was returning home after attending a meeting of an Inter-governmental Commission. During his stay in Moscow Mukherjee reportedly also could not get to see his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. The point was made that Russia was taking ?a dim view? of India associating itself in a quadrilateral grouping with Japan, Australia and the United States. Earlier, on November 12 the paper had editorially noted that ?sentimentalism can no longer mask the growing problems in bilateral relations?, implying things were not getting on too well between the two countries.
On November 13, The Times of India pointed out that ?effusive, over-the-top remarks? on Indo-Russian relationship coming from Indian officials ?are themselves a sign that difficulties have crept into it lately?. If further said the difficulties in Indo-Russian relationship may be ?short-run? but ?they go to show that the simplistic clich'sin terms of which Indian foreign policy is normally couched?Russia good for us, America bad for us, China best talked about in whispers?have become seriously outmoded?. In its editorial on November 15, The Indian Express felt that Indo-Russian relations were ?spinning to abysmal new lows?. ?Should we? the paper asked, ?read significance into the lack of even a joint statement, a standard summit outtake? following the two-hour discussion between Dr Manmohan Singh and Vladimir Putin? It added: ?Would it confirm recent reports that talked of a vague drift in relations? These drifts seem more imagined than real? The standard rhetoric regarding warm bilateral ties is par for the course, but the last-minute decision on not signing inter-government agreement relating to the four additional nuclear reactors envisioned for Koodankulam surely deserves convincing explanation?.
Deccan Herald (November 15) said that India'sPrime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has ?dispelled views about a chill in relations between the two countries when he highlighted facets of the multi-dimensional India-Russia strategic partnership.? The paper said that New Delhi and Moscow ?are both against Washington'suse of war as an instrument of foreign policy against Teheran? and ?clearly India and Russia have successfully re-adjusted their bilateral relationship in accordance with new realities and compulsions?. The Hindu (November 14) said that Dr Manmohan Singh'svisit's?real disappointment came in the area of civilian nuclear cooperation?. ?The two governments have not exactly been on the same wavelength in recent weeks in taking forward the January 2007 Memorandum of Intent providing for the construction of four additional reactors at Koodankulam?.? However, said the paper, ?aside from the unanimity or near-unanimity on all issues of mutual interest claimed on both sides, much satisfaction can be taken from the resolution of the seemingly intractable issue of the utilisation of the rupee debt fund which has swelled to Rs 8,000 crore?. So what is the real situation? Has Indo-Russian friendship soured? Vladimir Radyuhin, The Hindu'sRussian correspondent reporting on Manmohan Singh'svisit (November 13) specifically said that ?dispelling concerns over a recent chill in bilateral ties, leaders of India and Russia have reiterated the depth and intensity of their strategic partnership?.
Perhaps we should leave the matter for the time being. Putin apparently said that tri-lateral cooperation among Russia, China and India has been put on a permanent basis and showed a tendency for ?expansion and deepening in various directions?. We have to take his word. In any event it would be foolish to have disturbed relations with the United States, Russia and China. What sort of advisers does the Prime Minister have? Do we have a foreign policy? Is Pranab Mukherjee the right man for the right job? Is the Prime Minister, known for his close association with the American top brass? Does the Congress have any ?leader? worth his salt who can offer leadership to the country with confidence?
In a stinging editorial on November 19, The Hindu pointed out that ?a key purpose of the just-concluded session of the All-Indian Congress Committee was to introduce their heir-apparent to a breathless, mostly sycophantic flock?. Rightly said. The paper continued: ?Actually Rahul Gandhi held centre-stage for the shortest time and made the shortest speech, but for the stampeding delegates, it was indisputably the defining moment of the session. That the stadium emptied out soon thereafter speaks to the bizarre meaning of the event, which outshone keynote addresses, resolutions and such. The party general secretary'sfirst official outing turned out to be a confirmation that the legacy of the Grand Old Party had passed into the hands of yet another Nehru-Gandhi. Consider the matter-of-fact manner of the coronation: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was confident that the junior would take the country to the pinnacle of success. Sonia Gandhi did not protest the assumption?.Only Congressmen of today are capable of missing the irony of the situation: that Shri Gandhi should emphasise meritocracy in a party that is happiest led by the dynasty and whose youth leaders are mostly children of Congress Traders.
Shri Gandhi would also do well to look into his own performance in the recent Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh where, with him leading, the Congress finished last?? Meanwhile, will someone provide the public, Rahul'sacademic and marital status? Does he have a degree? Is he married? And if so to whom? And apart from being a Nehru-Gandhi, what exactly has he done to make people believe in his ?meritocracy?? A fat lot of information is kept hidden from the public which is entitled to know of Congress Party'smeriticratic leadership. There seems to be a fat lot of information kept under lock and key.
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