Page 6 - The Indian EYE 040723

NATION APRIL 07, 2023 | The Indian Eye 6

NATO says door to India open as Russia

declares New Delhi as strategic ally

The strategic partnership between India and Russia is based on five main pillars -- politics, defense,
civil nuclear energy, counter-terrorism cooperation, and space

OUR BUREAU
Moscow/New Delhi

ussia’s new foreign policy
strategy adopted by Presi-
Rdent Vladimir Putin on Friday
identified China and India as its main
allies on the world stage. The new 42-
page document singled out ties with
China and India, stressing the impor-
tance of “the deepening of ties and
coordination with friendly sovereign
global centers of power and develop-
ment located on the Eurasian conti-
nent.” India and Russia maintained
a close strategic, military, economic,
and diplomatic interaction during
the Cold War. Both Russia and India
refer to this alliance as being unique
and privileged.
The strategic partnership be-
tween India and Russia is based on
five main pillars -- politics, defense,
civil nuclear energy, counter-terror-
ism cooperation, and space. India
and Russia celebrated the 75th anni-
versary of their diplomatic relations.
According to the document, Russian President Vladimir Putin with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to India in 2012 (ANI)
Russia will continue to build a par-
ticularly privileged strategic part- the document. more engagement with India, should to at this stage invite them to NATO
nership with India with a view to en- Also on Friday, US NATO Am- that country take interest in pursuing ministerial until we knew more about
hancing and expanding cooperation bassador Julianne Smith, while speak- that”, said Julianne Smith in a virtual their interest in engaging the alliance
in all areas on a mutually beneficial ing on NATO and strengthening re- press briefing. “Membership is not more broadly,” she added.
basis and place special emphasis on lationships with South Asia and the something that we have really consid- Appreciating India’s role in the
increasing the volume of bilateral Indo-Pacific, virtually said the North ered with anyone in the Indo-Pacific Russia-Ukraine war, the envoy said
trade, strengthening investment and Atlantic Treaty Organization is ready or Asia-Pacific. The alliance remains she is grateful for the humanitarian
technological ties, and ensuring their to engage more with India if it is in- the Euro-Atlantic military alliance. assistance that India has been able to
resistance to destructive actions of terested. The Ambassador though Its door is open to the region. But provide to the country and that she
unfriendly states and their alliances. stressed that currently there are no there are no plans by the alliance to appreciates India’s call for an imme-
“In order to help adapt the plans by the alliance to expand this expand this to a broader global mili- diate end to the war in Ukraine.
world order to the realities of a to a broader global military alliance. tary alliance,” she added. Russia has been the largest sup-
multipolar world, Russia intends to “The NATO alliance is open Further, speaking on the meet- plier of weapons to India, accounting
make it one of priorities to enhance to more engagement should India ing of NATO Ministers of Foreign for nearly 50 per cent of the latter’s
the capacity and international role of seek that. NATO currently has 40 Affairs, which will take place on arms imports from 2016-2020. Both
the interstate association of BRICS, different partners around the World April 4-5, 2023 at the NATO Head- China and India have also ramped
the Shanghai Cooperation Organi- and each individual partnership is quarters in Brussels, the ambassador up oil imports from sanctions-hit
zation (SCO), the Commonwealth different. Various countries come said “at this stage, we would not want Russia amid the war in Ukraine.
of Independent States (CIS), the to the door seeking different levels to invite them (India) to NATO min- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), of political engagement, sometimes isterial until we knew more about Lavrov for his part underscored that
the Collective Security Treaty Orga- countries are much more interested their interest in engaging the alliance the document directly calls the US
nization (CSTO), the RIC (Russia, in working on inter-operability, and more broadly”. the main instigator of anti-Russian
India, China) and other interstate standardization questions. So, they “In terms of the future with In- politics in the world. He added that
associations and international orga- vary. But the message that has al- dia, I think NATO’s door is open in the logic behind Russia’s new foreign
nizations, as well as mechanisms with ready been sent back to India is that terms of engagement should India policy concept reflects the revolution-
strong Russian participation,” read NATO alliance is certainly open to be interested. But we would not want ary changes in international affairs.

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