India’s Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, recently delivered a direct message to Western countries during a security conference in Germany: India will not abandon its relationship with Russia. While the West continues to pressure India to stop buying Russian oil and weapons due to the ongoing Ukraine conflict, Jaishankar reminded them that international bonds are built on a long history of trust.
A Friend in Need
When India gained independence, it tried to remain neutral in global conflicts. However, surrounded by immediate security threats and lacking the ability to manufacture its own advanced weapons, India needed a reliable partner. The Soviet Union stepped up, providing essential military and diplomatic support starting in the 1950s. During this same era, the United States was actively supplying weapons and support to Pakistan, even when Pakistan was under strict military rule.
The Crucial Test of 1971
The defining moment in the India-Russia relationship happened during the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh. When the United States tried to intimidate India by sending a heavily armed naval fleet into the Bay of Bengal, the Soviet Union quickly deployed its own naval forces to stand in the way and protect India. Furthermore, when the U.S. tried to pass multiple resolutions against India at the United Nations, the Soviet Union repeatedly used its veto power to block them.
Standing Firm Today
Western countries are currently demanding that India cut ties with Russia. India, however, makes its foreign policy choices based on its own national interests and this deep history of mutual support. Jaishankar noted that the world order is shifting, the United States is becoming a “lonelier power,” and outdated global organizations like the United Nations desperately need reform to reflect today’s realities