Indo-Russian Military Ties in the Post-Cold War Period: Some Observation

Yeltsin declared that Russia was pursuing de-ideologization “in all spheres of life in its foreign policy; Moscow Russian Television broadcasts, 29 January 1993, in Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS), Sov-93-019, 1 Foreign 1993. However, “de-ideologization was not an entirely new idea and Eduard Shevardnadze, the Soviet Foreign Minister during Garbachev’s time stressed the need for “de-ideologization” if the liberalization and democratization of Soviet politics and society were to succeed.

BBC, Summary of World Broadcasts (SWB) FE/1599 A1/2, 29 January, 1993. The English text of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of India is in FBIS Sov-93-018, 29 January 1993.

Russia’s priorities are as follows: 1) the CIS, 2) arms control and international security, 3) economic reform, 4) the United States, 5) Europe, 6) the Asia-Pacific region, 7) West and South Asia, 8) the Near East, 9) Africa, 10) Latin America; cited from Ministervo Inotranykh Del, Diplomati Cherkii Vestnik, special issue, January 1993, pp. 3–23: Singh Anita Inder , “India’s Relation with Russia and Central Asia, International Affairs (London), Vol. 71, no. 1, 1995, p. 72, note 14.

Vakil Dina , “From Sentiment to Realism: New Chaper in Indi-Russian Ties”, Time of India (New Delhi), 27 June 1994.

Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, Annual Report 1992–93 (New Delhi), pp. 1–2; MEA Reports.

See articles by Dubey , “India’s foreign Policy”, and Kaushk Devendra , “Commonwealth of Independent States and India”, International Studies (New Delhi) Vol. 30, no. 2, 1993, pp. 117-29 also Shrivastava B. K. , “Indo-American Relations: Search for a New Equation, ibid., pp. 215-30.

See Yeltsin’s statement in FBIS, n. 1.

FBIS , n. 3.

For the text of the Declaration see Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs (New Delhi) Foreign Affairs Record (New Delhi) Vol. XL no. 7, July 1994, pp. 121-3.

MEA, Report , 1993-1994, p. 53.

Government of India, Ministry of Defence, Annual Report , 1994–95, (New Delhi), pp. 2–3, henceforth M.D. Report. See Hyman Anthony , “Central Asia”, Relations with Afghanistan and South Asia, in Ferdinand Peter , ed. The New Central Asia and its Neighbours (London, Pinter, 1994), pp. 75-74.

Yeltsin’s remark reported in The Statesman (Calcutta), 17 April 1996; for views of Indian deplomat and preminant journalists see Dixit J. N. , “Chernomyrdin Visit: the changed Scenario, Indian Express (Delhi), 27 December 1994; Malhotra Inder , “A New Relationship with Russia, Times of India , 23 June 1994 and Katyal K.K. “Indo-Russia Relations”, Hindu (Gurgaw), 27 June, 1994.

MEA, Report 1994–95, p. 55; statement by the Director of MAPO Vladimetuzdin quoted in Strategic Digest (New Delhi: Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses) Vol. 15, no. 7, July 1995, p. 1110.

Stockholm International Place Research Institute (SIPRI), SIPRI Yearbook 1993: World Armaments and Disarmaments (Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1993), henceforth SIPRI Year Book. Table, 10.10 and Table 10.11, pp. 444, 445.

See Russia’s official arms export data in ibid. p. 446.

Congtessional Research Service (CRS), Report for Congress (U.S. Government, Washington D.C., 1995), henceforth CRS Report, p. 26.

Cited from Kommersant, no. 48 (1993) pp. 10–11, cited in the SIPRI Year-book 1994 (New York, Oxford University Press, 1994), p. 430.

ITAR-TASS, 28 December, 1993, cited in ibid.

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Quarterly Economic Review (EBRD: London, 30 September, 1992,), p. 64.

On Russia’s new security agenda see the arcler by Rotfellow Adam Daniel , “Introduction”, The fundamental changes and the new security agenda”, in SIPRI Yearbook 1992. pp. 1–10.

For details on conversion process see SIPRI Yearbook, for 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992, pp. 133-94, 143–202 and 115–180 and 206–226 respectively.

Foye S. , “Russian Arms Export After the Cold War,” Radio, Free Europe/Radio Liberty, RFE/RL, Research Report Vol, 2, no. 13 (26 March, 1993), pp. 58–66.

Cited from “Weapon Producers propose to Reverse the Presidential Decree in Konunersont Daily, December 22, 1993, p. 4, cited in SIPRI Year-book 1994, p. 430.

SRS Report , p. 7.

Ibid., pp. 66 and 67.

SIPRI Yearkbook 1993, pp. 450-1.

BBC, SWB, SU/WO 215 A/3, 31 June 1992.

RFE/RL Research Report. 30 October 1992, p. 61.

Foreign Affairs Record , n. 10, pp. 18–19.

See discussions during Dr. Burbulis visit to India in BBC, SBW, FE/1372 A1/2, 5 May, 1992.

CRS Report , p. 8.

Strategic Digest Vol. 13, no. 1, January 1993, p. 201.

SIPRI Yearbook 1993, p. 448, n. 107.

Strategic Digest , n. 33. p. 208; SIPRI Yearbook 1994. p. 524 shows India purchasing 20 Mig-29C Fulcrum involving 300 million deal as part of 830 million Soviet credit to India extended for another two years.

MD Report 1990–91 p. 4.

SIPRI Yearbook 1994 . pp. 524, 518.

Defence News (New Delhi) 7-13 December. 1992, p. 3.

Text of the Agreement in Foreign Affairs Record n. 10, pp. 21–22.

MD Report 1992–93, p. 8.

See Moley’s statement in SWB, SU/WO 230A/16-7, 15 May, 1992.

SIPRI Yearbook 1994, p. 522; as part of the 830 million. Russian credit India placed order for 256/AAV (G/M), SA-19AM, SA-11 SAMS and SA II Gadfly all of the which was delivered in 1993.

BBC, SWB, FE/1372 A1/2, 5 May, 1992.

The release of the India’s official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs on Indo-Russian talks in Foreign Affairs Record, n. 10, p. 16.

Ibid .. pp. 15–16.

MEA, Report 1993–1994, p. 60.

Thorough analysis in Jyotirmoy Banerjee, “Indo-Russian Relations: Cryogenic Rocket Deal,” Jadavpur Journal of International Relations, Calcutta vol. 1. 1995. pp. 121–22; also see Malhotra Inder “Row over rockets, America’s tough anti-India stand”, Times of India, 2nd July 1993; Vaidya Abhay , “US making move to scuttel rocket deal” ibid., 14 July, 1993; The Statesman editorial, 1 February, 1993.

MD Report , 1994-95. p. 16.

T.V. Report on Russian T.V. on 8 May, 1992 reported in SBW, SU/WO 230A/10, 15 May 1992; and Strategic Digest Vol. 15 no. 5 May 1995, p. 661.

MEA, Report 1994-95, p. 57.

MD Report , n. 48, p. 3.

See article by Maghlani Sanjeev , “Pacts Mark Return of Russia as a Credible Partner”, Indian Express, 2nd July, 1994.

MD Report 1994-95. p. 18.

Ibid., p. 19.

Strategic Digest , n. 49, pp. 852, 853.

Sidarkov Sergie , Director of Government Department of Defence, expressed the view that China and India were Russia’s main customer with aviation and anti-air defence system representing the biggest share of the foregin market; ibid , p. 662.

MD Report 1994–95, p. 2.

The arms trade register in SIPRI Yearbook 1994. p. 525 records Indo-Russian military deal as follows: 20 Mig-29C Fulcrum Fighter and 2S6 AAV/G/M, SA19, SA II SAMS and S11 Gadfly SAM system and styx and Sunburn St Sh M; all ordered in 1992-93 period. During Yeltsin’s talk with Rao in New York in October 1995, a package worth 3.5 billion was reported to be finalised; The Statesman, 17 April 1996.