India-Soviet Russia Relations During the Cold War

This article provides a comprehensive overview of India-Soviet Union relations during the Cold War, highlighting key events that shaped their strong and strategic partnership. It discusses how India's policy of non-alignment initially caused skepticism in both the US and the USSR but eventually led to a deep-rooted friendship, especially after India's stance in the Korean War. The article outlines Soviet support in India's economic development, particularly in the establishment of steel plants under the Five-Year Plans.

It also details Soviet diplomatic and military assistance during major conflicts, including the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistan Wars, emphasizing how the USSR mediated the Tashkent Agreement (1966) and countered US intervention during the Bangladesh Liberation War. The article further explores Soviet backing on the Kashmir issue, its positive stance on India's nuclear tests (Pokhran-I and II), and crucial defense collaborations, such as the S-400 missile system deal.

Additionally, it touches on the challenges faced in bilateral relations after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and how India and Russia worked to rebuild their strategic partnership through military and economic agreements. The article concludes by reinforcing Russia’s status as a "time-tested friend" of India, consistently supporting its interests on global platforms.

Looking at the history of India-Soviet Russia relations, it is evident that Russia has been a reliable friend of India from the beginning. This friendship and cooperation can be explained step by step as follows:

When India adopted the policy of non-alignment, not only the United States but also Russia had doubts about this policy. Consequently, India’s ambassador to Russia, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, attempted to explain the policy of non-alignment to Russian President Stalin, in which he was successful. During the Korean War, when the US army moved beyond the 38th parallel, India opposed this action, which left a strong impression on Russia and initiated positive steps toward cooperative relations between India and the Soviet Union.

Russia’s support for India’s economic policies was evident. India’s Five-Year Plans were modeled after those of the Soviet Union. During the Second Five-Year Plan, the Bhilai Steel Plant was established with Soviet assistance, and in the Third Five-Year Plan, the Bokaro Steel Plant was set up with Russian collaboration.

During the 1965 India-Pakistan War, Russia initially remained silent. However, when Indian forces advanced toward Islamabad, China threatened India, warning that if India did not withdraw its troops, China would attack on Pakistan’s behalf. In response, Russia sternly warned China, saying, "Refrain from adding fuel to the fire, or the consequences will be dire." After the war, Russia played a key role in facilitating the Tashkent Agreement (1966) between India and Pakistan, though India did not gain much from this agreement.

During the 1971 India-Pakistan War, which was fought over Bangladesh’s independence, the United States deployed its Seventh Fleet in support of Pakistan. To counter this, India strategically signed a 20-year Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with the Soviet Union, which alarmed the US. When the Soviet Union sent its warships to the Arabian Sea, the US withdrew its fleet, making it easier for India to deal with Pakistan.

On the Kashmir issue, the United States consistently supported Pakistan. If the Soviet Union had not backed India, the entire region of Kashmir might have fallen into Pakistani hands. A notable statement from Russia regarding Kashmir was:

"If India calls for help from the top of the Himalayas on the Kashmir issue, Russia will come running to assist."

When India conducted its first nuclear test under Pokhran-I in 1974, the US expressed strong disapproval. In response, Russia stated that if Western nations could not guarantee security to developing countries and if nuclear-armed nations were unwilling to disarm, they had no moral right to impose restrictions on other nations. Russia also supplied India with a limited amount of uranium to keep its nuclear reactors operational.

During Mikhail Gorbachev's tenure as Soviet leader, his liberal policies led to economic cooperation agreements. Under these agreements, Russia assisted India in projects such as the Tehri Dam (Uttarakhand), expansion of the Bokaro Steel Plant, Jharia coal mining, and oil exploration in the Bay of Bengal by providing the necessary technology.

However, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, re-establishing India-Russia relations posed a challenge. To address this, a new treaty was signed in 1993, under which Russia assured India of support on the Kashmir issue at international forums. Additionally, the two countries signed a military and technical cooperation agreement, with certain provisions kept confidential. However, as India’s relations with the US began to grow, there was some decline in India-Russia ties.

In 1998, when India conducted Pokhran-II, carrying out five nuclear tests, the US imposed sanctions on India. In contrast, Russia condemned these sanctions.

Even in recent times, during India-China tensions, despite China's strong objections, Russia assured India of the timely delivery of the S-400 air defense missile system, one of the most powerful in the world.

These events prove that Russia is a "time-tested friend" of India, standing by India through every critical juncture.