new Delhi. Russia has suddenly come into the middle of the situation between India and China. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday said India’s Foreign Minister S.K. Hosted video conferencing between Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Earlier, Jaishankar and Wang had a conversation on June 17 in a very tense atmosphere.
On Wednesday, Moscow will host Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wei Feng, who will participate in the Victory Day parade. Let us know how Russia and China have grown in the last few decades and how Moscow has worked in the current crisis. Also know why Russia is important for India and China.
Improving Relationship with China: Russia and China have improved in the last few years. Moscow and Beijing are important, especially since China has been on Washington’s target in the last few months, while Russia has stood by it. Even during the Kovid-19 epidemic. New Delhi believes that America’s attitude towards Western countries, especially Moscow and Beijing, has brought them back closer. In recent days, Russia has made notes with China. Among these, Russia has backed China over Kovid-10, Hong Kong and Huawei. However, the two countries do not look at each other. China does not recognize Crimea as part of Russia, while Russia has been adopting a neutral position regarding China’s claim on the South China Sea.
Twice at the diplomatic level: India and Russia have had two diplomatic talks before and after the Galvan crisis. Earlier this month, former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla briefed Russian Ambassador Nikolay Kudashev on the status of the Line of Actual Control at the Lieutenant General level talks on 6 June. On 15 June, after the skirmish between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galvan Valley, India’s Ambassador to Russia De Bala Venkatesh held talks with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov.
Initially not good relations: Maotse Tung made his first visit to Moscow in 1949 after establishing control over China. During this time he had to wait for weeks to meet the Russian leadership. At the time of the Cold War in 1961, both China and the Soviet Union were competing for control of the communist movement around the world. There was a brief border war in 1969. Although this enmity began to subside in 1976 after Mao’s death, relations between the two countries were not very good after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Hence the need for each other: Economic relations between the two countries have created a new strategic base after the Cold War. Russia’s largest trading partner is China and Russia is also the largest Asian investor. China sees Russia as a large warehouse of raw materials and a growing market for consumer goods. Russia came closer to China in 2014 due to tougher sanctions from the West. In recent years, an alliance has developed between China and Russia, which Western experts call friendship for convenience.
Russia’s situation then and now: During the Doklam dispute in 2017, Russian diplomats in Beijing were given some information by the Chinese government. At that time it remained hidden in the curtain. Russia’s position in 1962 was not helpful to India, while Russia was with India in the 1971 war. Russia has given a very insular answer during the Galvan crisis. Russian Ambassador Kudashev tweeted that we welcome all efforts being made to stop the conflict on LAC. President’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that both countries can resolve this crisis themselves. He emphasized that China and India are close allies of Russia.
India and Russia: India has had historical relations with Russia for the last seven decades. In some areas, this relationship has intensified, but defense deals are the strongest pillar of this strategic partner. Although New Delhi has bought defense equipment from other countries, but today it still buys a large share from Russia. It is estimated that 60 to 70 percent of India’s defense supplies from Russia. India needs spare parts of defense equipment. PM Modi has attended informal summits with just two leaders Putin and Xi Jinping. India took this decision only for Russia because it believes that only Russia can bring changes in Beijing’s stance on the border issue. In this period of tension between China and India, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will discuss defense procurement from Russia.
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