Expectations from IAF vis-à-vis Capability Building
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लाल टोपी रुसी – दिल हिन्दुस्तानी: Indo – Russian Relations
Indo-Russian Relations
“special and privileged strategic partnership”
Geography and Geopolitics have been binding Russia and India together in the past. However, in the world politics there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests and these also change with time. The deep, traditional and even “time-tested relations” shared for decades cannot be taken for granted. The premise of Indo-Russia relationship has undergone significant changes since the end of the Cold War. The strategic bond that existed between India and the Soviet Union is not the same as that with Russia and has been considerably diluted. Every country places its national interests above anything else, so does Russia. Russia may not be a partner at the earlier level and perhaps we should not expect it either. From the “special and privileged strategic partnership,” we appear to be moving towards a transactional relationship.
Pic: Coutesy mapsofindia.com
Defence Cooperation. One of the strong pillar of India-Russia ties has is in the defence field. A close defence relationship with any country is based on trust which takes time to build. A critical issue is risk of interruption in supplies during conflict situations due to political reasons. Russia has been a tried and tested partner in this regard. Russia has been offering advanced defence equipment and sensitive military technologies. Almost 60 – 70 percent of equipment with India’s armed forces is of Russian origin. Sudden decoupling or complete switch to western equipment is not possible.
“We need to convert the extraordinary goodwill between India and Russia into a thriving, visible, vigorous, and mutually beneficial economic relationship”.
– Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Importance of Relationship. Russia, of course, can no longer provide the kind of political and economic support to India as it did in the Cold War years. For India, Russia is a vital partner for energy security, and defence needs, willing to supply the “cutting-edge technology”. India-Russia relations have not been limited to energy and defence. While defence has been the strongest leg of the bilateral cooperation, there are several other areas in which the two countries cooperate – spanning culture, trade, transportation, education, science and technology, space and nuclear energy etc.
“Tolstoy and Gandhi had an indelible effect on each other. Let India and Russia make their relations better by taking inspiration from them. Let both the nations become bigger stakeholders in each other’s development,”
– Indian PM Shri N Modi
Way Ahead. India-Russia relations may not be as warm as they were during the Cold War, but both countries remain important for each other in the existing geopolitical scenario. Rapidly changing geo-political and geo-strategic dynamics presents significant challenges but also opportunities that India and Russia can leverage to further invigorate and intensify their relations to mutual advantage. Both the nations should view the relationship in a pragmatic manner, address their differences and divergences and identify fresh areas for cooperation. Many areas exist in which both countries can expand and deepen their relations for mutual benefit. Some suggestions are as follows:-
- Cooperation could be enhanced in the high technology field including robotics, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, space, nuclear energy, biotechnology and hydrocarbons,
- Other areas of focus could include infrastructure, skill development, agriculture, shipbuilding, railways, aviation, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and deep sea exploration etc.
- The two countries could cooperate effectively on regional and global issues in multilateral bodies.
- Both should sustain and further reinforce dialogue at the highest as well as at Ministerial / Senior Official level.
- Increase people-to-people connectivity, with special focus on the younger generation and cultural sphere. Regular cooperation with the Russian and Indian think tanks and joint publications would create better understanding of each other.
Comments and value additions are most welcome
Coming up : Other parts of the Equation
effect of Indo – US, Russia – Pakistan and China – Russia relations
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References:
- https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/india-must-be-realistic-about-russia-relations
- https://theprint.in/opinion/india-russia-less-useful-to-each-other-now-disagreements-will-only-grow/621264/
- https://www.orfonline.org/research/india-russia-ties-in-a-changing-world-order-in-pursuit-of-a-special-strategic-partnership-56877/
- https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/india-russia-relations-in-a-post-covid-world/
- https://thediplomat.com/2020/12/india-russia-relations-face-more-trouble/
- https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/isnt-yet-time-write-obituary-india-russia-ties
- https://indianembassy-moscow.gov.in/70-years-of-india-russia-relations-a-historic-milestone.php
Medico Warriors: Lila & Tibs
This Article has been contributed by Doc Aggarwal (A Good Friend)
It provides a glimpse into the selfless service of medical fraternity in fight against the Pandemic
that’s really good news
Lila and Tibs… The silent bastions on whom it all has been resting for the past month. Ever since the second wave broke, they have been at it. Day in and day out, sleeping, living, eating, breathing COVID.
Lila is the elder one… by some one year or so, and would never let Tibs forget that. Tibs is a little younger, considers himself a little stronger. She is bubbly, charming, enthusiastic, easy to smile and vivacious. Tibs on the other hand is the silent, quiet type. They are both efficient, knowledgeable, concerned and above all caring.
They are the two doctors at the Station Medicare Centre (SMC), at an Air Force Station, somewhere in the heartland. There are others, but one has got COVID, while the other was, well, out for some time. So just Lila and Tibs. Usually, its not that tough. Oh, they do have a clientele of 8000 or so, but they manage. What tipped the balance was April.
In the month of April, the SMC has had 230 cases of COVID, positive on Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). This means that there would be another 1000 lurking around here and there, some asymptomatic, some scared to come over lest they are quarantined, some missed by the RAT, whatever. But 230 is a lot.
Lila is newly married, her husband Sudhir is posted far away. She could barely squeeze in a honeymoon before the China virus played spoilsport. Tibs managed a brief trip to his steady girl and came back with COVID a few months back. Hasn’t managed to meet her since. They still remain cheerful.
So let’s see what it means, looking after 230 COVID patients, by two doctors. 15 min to 30 min of questions by relatives for 230 patients… CHECK. Getting basic protocol tests ie Blood counts, Renal Function, Liver function for 230 people, regularly, sifting through results, ensuring you don’t miss anything… CHECK. Monitoring SpO2 levels for 230 patients four times a day, keeping track, making sure none are missed… CHECK. Rechecking after a six minute walk test… that’s eight times a day… CHECK.
Then the first person starts showing a little low SpO2 and the next struggle starts. The overloaded local hospital’s first reaction is, we can’t. You manage. Give oxygen in the SMC. So then that is a sudden huge demand on the limited number of people available. But they manage. Running from patient to patient, attending some meetings on hygiene or sanitation or sewage or water, all the time worried about the patient on an oxygen concentrator at the SMC.
Lila develops a cough. Fever is 102 deg. She has been double masking, hand sanitizing, social distancing, covering herself. But she knew this was coming… someday, somehow. She walks up to Tibs, to find him coughing, bodyache, fever is 100 deg. They sit down. Now what? What happens to the 230? They sit silent, drinking nimbu-paani after nimbu-pani, trying to figure out what to do. Obviously, there is no logical answer. If they see patients, they could be super-spreaders. If they don’t, who does?
Lila resolves. Pops two tablets of Paracetamol, asks Tibs to go home and relax. She stays, does her work. Her RAT test is negative. She will get an RT-PCR tomorrow. She wades through the day. It was horrible, high fever, outside temperature 42 deg Celsius, cough, bodyache.
The next day both Lila and Tibs undergo an RT PCR. Buzzed with Paracetamol, wade into the day, like they have over the past month. Fever varies between 99 and 102 deg for both. The bodyache is killing. The cough is bad. Exhausted they go back home.
Lila is in bed hugging Sudhir’s photograph, waiting for sleep to come. Tibs calls… RTPCR results came back. It is NOT COVID. It is just exhaustion, he says.
Oh… that’s really good news, she says. She hugs Sudhir’s photographs tighter and goes to sleep.
Tomorrow is another day
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