Salvaging a strategic partnership  

Salvaging a strategic partnership  

Article:

1. S. Raghavan, Convener of the National Security Advisory Board has discussed about the trade opportunity India will have with Russia despite U.S sanction.

Important Analysis:

2. In a recent Summit with Russia, India has given assurance that growing proximity with U.S will not affect India-Russia relations.
3. India has emphasized the contribution made by Russia is unique and it will be on Top priority.
4. However, there are some key issues where India and Russia perspective differs such as:

• India’s strategic linkages with the U.S
• India’s relation with its neighbor like Pakistan, Afghanistan and China.
• When dealing with cross border terrorism

5. Both countries have asserted that there were detailed discussions on “all international issues of mutual interest”, specifically citing common interest on Terrorism.
6. On Afghanistan, India expressed support for the “Moscow format”, in which Russia involves regional countries and major powers in an effort to draw the Taliban into negotiations with the Afghan leadership.
7. India and Russia have in their joint statement

• Made the list of priority areas of cooperation, including infrastructure, engineering, natural resources, space and technology.
• Expresses the commitment to raise trade and investment.
• Talked about opportunities for cooperation between Russia, which is natural resources-rich, and India, which is resource-hungry.

8. However, there are concern over U.S sanction. U.S has already made it public, that India’s deal with Russia may attract provisions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
9. S. State Department announced sanctions on a Chinese company that had imported the S-400 over eight months earlier, asserting that it was a signal to others engaged with the Russian defence sector.
10. With proper structuring of business deals, trade and investment exchanges with Russia are possible, and without losing business with Europe and America. In this way only economic engagement of major European countries with Russia grew in 2017 and 2018 despite the Sanctions.