The United States’ understanding of India’s nuanced approach to Russian intervention in Ukraine is a welcome and matured move. One may share many values together, but one may have a different approach to the same issue. But this has not gone well with India’s critics particularly a section of the media and intelligentsia who are trying to create hysteria to propel the Government to take a firm stand in favour of Ukraine.
They forget that the friendship between India and Russia is time tested and has weathered all storms. The younger generation which is guided by the glottal reaction to the human tragedy unfolding in Ukraine needs to understand the factors that have shaped Government’s calibrated response. India actually offers a ray of hope to the world, if good sense prevails on all parties, to start a dialogue and bring an end to the conflict.
What the United States and Europe are doing is a certain recipe for disaster. The economic sanctions are going to hit other countries of the world too and we have seen on other occasions also that such sanctions do not work. American politician Tulsi Gabbard has said that such sanctions would hurt Americans more than others. US President Joe Biden has said that the alternative to these sanctions is a third world war. Should head of a State talk in this language. Remember US President Joe Biden calling Vladimir Putin, who is Russia’s most respected leader “a killer”. Is this the language of civilized behaviour? Putin has been at the helm of Russia for two decades.
The Russian intervention in Ukraine is the biggest diplomatic failure of recent times. One wonders whether this is the outcome of an arrogant US and the West who are overconfident of their own power and their misplaced understanding that threats would stop Russia from doing what they knew was already coming.
When Russians were amassing arms and men around Ukraine, the US and its allies should have used steps to de-escalate tension rather than issuing threats on a daily basis. Putin had expressed his concerns over NATO’s eastward movement and reminded the US of its promise that NATO would not expand the Russian side. While the US claims that no such assurance was given, the spirit of the assurance given to Russia, when unified German became a member of NATO, was the same. The US changed its policy later and most countries of Europe that had become independent after the disintegration of the Soviet Union (USSR) joined the alliance. This created suspicion about the US intentions.
The US is yet to answer why it expanded NATO after promising it won’t after the breakdown of the Soviet Union. Putin asked a pointed question way back in December last:
“We have made it clear that NATO’s move to the east is unacceptable. The US is standing with missiles on our doorstep. Is it an excessive requirement not to install shock systems at our house? How would the Americans react if missiles were placed at the border with Canada or Mexico?”
The US armed Ukraine and helped with resources which meant saying that you fight Russians for your own independence and sovereignty and we will watch you bleed. If Ukraine is suffering today, the US and the West and Europe cannot absolve themselves of the blame. Rather than swallowing their egos and calling for a halt by acknowledging Russian concerns, they continued to issue threats.
No country can support the use of violence to settle scores even if there is adequate unilateral justification. It is in that sense that Russian aggression in Ukraine cannot be accepted. This explains why India has called for an end to violence and making attempts to resolve issues through dialogue. Condemnation and bravado spoil the grounds of negotiation. India’s abstaining from the UN Security Council vote against Russia is the right strategy and should be seen in this context.
Needless to underscore that Russia has been a trustworthy friend of India. It has stood with India in times of crisis. One needs to recall what had happened during the Bangladesh war of 1971. India’s support for Mukti Vahini in Bangladesh and its liberation would have suffered since both the US, the UK and China were on the side of Pakistan. The Americans and the British had sent their navies to the Bay of Bengal to help Pakistan but they were stopped by Russian submarines. During that time the US and the UK did not think of right and wrong. Bangladesh was suffering due to atrocity by the Pakistani army and India was suffering due to a massive influx of refugees from Bangladesh.
India and Russia have strategic defence ties whereby the latter understands India’s security concerns due to aggressive China and untrustworthy Pakistan. You can expect words of wisdom from the US and all talks of shared values but not the support that is needed to survive the prying jealous eyes of two hostile neighbours. When India was suffering from terrorism and bomb blasts were the order of the day, the US and its allies would project as if India was failing to address the grievances of people who took to arms. The US was busy using Pakistan to fight its war in Afghanistan. It knew Pakistan to be the source of terrorism but supported it with Dollar doles since it had to destroy Al Qaida and decimate Osama Bin Laden. The US was clear that ideology apart, it was fighting for its enlightened self-interest—Making the US safe. We must understand that the Cold war ended with the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Russia has rebuilt itself and has emerged strong but its apprehension that NATO has expanded and could pose a threat may not be misplaced. NATO is a strong military alliance of 30 countries now. Most of the former Soviets have become members. The combined defence expenditure of NATO in 2020 was US$ 1106 billion whereas the Russians spent US$ 61.7 billion the same year. In terms of troops, the entire has military strength of 33 lakh soldiers compared to 12 lakh of Russians of which only about 8 lakh are active fighting troops.
So, the question is why push Ukraine to fight the battle of the West. You can give it arms and money but it is no match to the Russian army. You do not expect untrained young boys and girls to match the professional competence of the Russian army. They are really brave people who are fighting against Russian soldiers but the US has not done the right thing by making them fight the war.
The US could have made Ukraine a NATO member if it was so determined to fight Russia. But no! The US will not enter Ukraine and only supply arms and money to fight the Russians. Hence the Russians would be tested in Ukraine without the NATO shedding one drop of blood. This is nothing but chicanery. Demilitarisation of Ukraine, being a buffer country, and a halt to its NATO ambition was a much better option. This is what Russia wanted because of its claims on security concerns.
A separate military alliance such as NATO is a threat to the judicious world order that the United Nations seeks to create. Why should there be a separate military block? If there is a transgression that defies combined wisdom, the UN should intervene. This would have more credibility. NATO has become just another way to increase the influence of the US and its allies for preferential treatment on natural resources of these countries. Smaller countries that cannot afford full-fledged defence prefer to have this alliance as a security guarantee after paying a small percentage of their budgets. If the same security umbrella is given by the UN, this would carry more credibility.
The US should not grudge India and it is heartening to hear that they appreciate India’s stand and its relationship with Russia. From India’s point of Russia should not be isolated and a room for negotiation must remain open. If you close all doors, you are inviting trouble. It is not that the grievances cannot be addressed. But it needs an honest approach. If you wish to outmanoeuvre Putin, then you must know that he knows each and every move of yours.
India and the US share many values including liberty, freedom and democracy. India is a thriving democracy and its survival is important for the ideology of democracy to stay alive. But, faced with hostile neighbours, is India safe? What has the US done except giving palliative wisdoms? India has shown that it can be trusted. It has never invaded any other country. It gave an anti-Covid solution to the world without discrimination or without asking for premiums.
It is time for the US to explore when the Ukraine crisis subsides, why an average Indian adores the US as a country of dreams but trusts Russia. I spoke to many people about the crisis, even to common people who would not be bothered about international relations. All of them said Russia should be supported since it is a trusted friend. They were appreciative of the government’s stand. This is besides the fact that Ukraine voted against India or criticised India on many occasions without understanding our security concerns.
The writer is the author of “Narendra Modi: the GameChanger”. A former journalist, he is a member of BJP’s media relations department and represents the party as spokesperson while participating in television debates. The views expressed are personal.
The economic sanctions are going to hit other countries of the world too and we have seen on other occasions also that such sanctions do not work. American politician Tulsi Gabbard has said that such sanctions would hurt Americans more than others. The US President Joe Biden has said that the alternative to these sanctions is a third world war. Should head of a state talk in this language. Remember US President Joe Biden calling Vladimir Putin, who is Russia’s most respected leader, “a killer”.
