- It is becoming increasingly clear that the Russian incursion into an embattled Ukraine is far from being termed as a rollover or cakewalk for the former. The stiff resistance offered by the Ukrainian forces is forcing the Russian establishment to redraw strategies and also issue threats of using a nuclear arsenal. The international community is already enraged by the unprovoked and ill-advised move by Russia and the latest threat would only further rile them leading to even more stringent economic and financial sanctions. All major countries, except China and India, have unequivocally condemned Russia which is feeling the heat generated from across the world.
PC: Acamstoday
- Against this backdrop, what should guide the Indian think tank on the strategies to be adopted to deal with the global sentiment which is constantly gaining ground against the Russian misadventure? As the war in Ukraine gets uglier by the day where civilian targets are getting hit and civilian death will likely mount, the Indian establishment cannot keep exercising the option of abstaining from criticizing Russia indefinitely. India has already lost a young student courtesy of shelling perpetrated by the forces. As the situation goes from bad to worse and the human costs of the invasion mount, countries previously staying out of punitive actions against Russia are now changing their position.
- Note that traditionally neutral Switzerland has frozen Russian assets. Finland, another country with non-aligned traditions, is sending weapons to the Ukrainian resistance. As reported, Turkey has limited access to Russian warships to the Black Sea. Also, Russian energy-dependent Germany is already planning for scenarios where Moscow weaponizes the supply of gas to Europe’s largest economy. On top of it, criticism against Russia is growing by the minute at the United Nations too. The moot point to ponder over here is for how long India will continue to hold on to abstain position without antagonizing the global community.
PC: Swissinfo
- Putin’s saber-rattling pronouncements like putting nuclear weapons on alert amid increasing isolation are worrying. Mind you, the issue of Indian citizens finding themselves in grave danger from Russian assault cannot be ignored anymore. Apparently, the ground has shifted but as always in geopolitics, the clearest and best test is cold calculations of national interest. It’s worth remembering that the abstain position also fails this test since part of Putin’s continued belligerence assumes of finding considerable comfort from China. Now, we know how canny Beijing is and why it hasn’t quite stood beside Moscow surely scheming to mine resource-rich but savagely weakened Russia seeking its help.
- Why? Because the current predicament of Moscow allows Beijing to extract more from such a relationship. Thus, the Indian think tank must be clear whether it wants Russia as a strategic partner in the years to come. Inarguably, China is India’s biggest threat and any country that depends on China must surely be a less-than-ideal strategic partner. We need America to counter China, not to forget the Quad as well. Understand that Russia needs India’s orders as much as India needs Russia’s weapons even if we change our stance on the incursion eventually. If there is no immediate change in Russia’s war-mongering, India will have to look at changing its diplomatic position sooner than later.
