Putin, Modi make up with a bear hug

New Delhi, October 15: When India and Russia got together on Saturday before the BRICS Summit they were like long lost friends, who needed to spend some time together to accommodate each others concerns as evident in the joint statement. While Russia echoed India's sentiment of “zero tolerance” for terrorists and their abettors; New Delhi appreciated Moscow's efforts in Syria.

The Indo-Russian ties got a major shot in arm with the inking of 16 big ticket pacts ranging from defence to energy. The cementing of ties come at a crucial juncture as India saw Russia getting uncomfortably closer to Pakistan, and Moscow cringed at the tight embracing of Washington by New Delhi.

A stellar example of Indo-Russian cooperation - INS Chakra an Akula class submarine give on lease to India by Russia

Not taking each other for granted any more, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a Russian proverb to describe the bilateral ties spanning over seven decades. “One Old Friend is better than two new ones,” Prime Minister Modi said as Russian President Vladimir Putin could not suppress a smile.

It was clear that the two leaders have ironed out the irritants in the bilateral ties that were cropped up as New Delhi was caught in a diplomatic bind as its “all-weather” friend was gearing up for first military drill with Pakistan as its Army base in Uri was under attack by terrorists supported from across the border. Touching upon India’s concerns about cross-border terrorism, Prime Minister Modi said: "Russia's clear stand on the need to combat terrorism mirrors our own. We deeply appreciate Russia's understanding and support of our actions to fight cross-border terrorism that threatens our entire region. We both affirmed the need for zero tolerance in dealing with terrorists and their supporters."

President Putin also said that the countries were working in tandem to counter terrorism.

The joint statement issued by the two countries after the completion of the 17th Indo-Russian Annual Summit is a testimony of the commitment of India and Russia to the relationship despite forging ties with other countries. The lengthy statement sought to accommodate issues important for both the countries – nuclear energy, defence, cross-border terrorism, India’s bid to become member of the UN Security Council and Nuclear Suppliers’ Group; and Russia’s concerns about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and cessation of hostilities in Syria.

On countering terrorism the two countries underlined the need to deny safe havens to terrorists and stressed “the need to have a strong international legal regime built on the principle of ‘zero tolerance for direct or indirect support of terrorism’”. India also took notice of the unconditional condemnation of the Uri terror attack by Russia. India also expressed satisfaction at Russia understanding its interests and reservations about holding exercises with Pakistan, which “sponsors and practices terrorism as a matter of State policy".

"We are satisfied that Russia understand India's interest and they will never do anything contrary to India's interest and I think there was a strong meeting of minds on this subject," Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said addressing a press conference in Goa after the conclusion of the India-Russia bilateral Summit.

Ahead of proposing a reconstruction fund for Syria, India also found its views converging with Russia as far as the war-torn country was concerned. Both sides stressed for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the country within the ambit of the UN Security Council’s resolutions. “Both Sides underlined the necessity of strengthening the cessation of hostilities, delivery of humanitarian aid to besieged areas, and the continuation of intra-Syrian dialogue under UN supervision. India recognized Russian Side's effort towards achieving a political and negotiated settlement of the situation in Syria,” the joint statement read.

Russian balancing act in South Asia

The changing geo-political equations in the Indian sub-continent have left Russia in a flux seeking to have a strategic balance between India and Pakistan. Even as its soldiers are in Pakistan for their maiden joint military drill, Russia on Monday supported India’s surgical strikes by contending that every country has a right to defend itself.

Russia’s Ambassador to New Delhi Alexander M Kadakin on Monday welcomed the surgical strikes conducted by India on the intervening night of September 28-29.

“Greatest human rights violations take place when terrorists attack military installations and attack peaceful civilians in India. We welcome the surgical strike. Every country has right to defend itself,” the Russian Embassy quoted Kadakin to have told an Indian news channel.

India has restrained from officially commenting on the war games between its arch rival Pakistan and arch patron Russia. The only saving grace for New Delhi was that Moscow cancelled the last leg of the military exercise "Friendship-2016" planned in the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The Russian Envoy tried to ally India’s discomfort at the growing proximity between Islamabad and Moscow. “India should not be concerned about military exercises between Russia and Pakistan because the theme of the exercise is anti-terror fighting. That's in India’s interests that we teach Pakistani army not to use itself for terror attacks against India. And the exercise was not held in any sensitive or problematic territories like Pakistan-occupied Indian state of Jammu", said the Russian Ambassador. The exercise is being seen a response to the deepening of defence cooperation between India and the US.

The latest statement emanating from Russia has been one of the series of statements issued earlier Moscow condemning the Uri attacks and asking Pakistan to make more efforts to rein in the terrorists in its territory.

With India seeking to diversify its defence supply has been purchasing military hardware from the US and European countries; Pakistan has tried to woo Russia and has expressed interest in buying Sukhoi fighter jets. 

 

A Tale of Two Cities divided by "Border"

The two cities speak the same language and have had a shared history. But fate threw them on different sides of the border. For Narva and Ivangorod – small towns in Estonia and Russia respectively- the history has been strongly tied to each other as both were part of the erstwhile Soviet Empire. But after Soviet disintegration in 1991 they have been going through different narratives spawned by their respective governments and still maintain sanity in their approach towards each other.

The river border between the two towns.

Another view of the border

 

It was for the first time that I crossed a border by foot. Crossing the bridge between Ivangorod and Narva immediately brought the analogy of the border between India and Pakistan (which I have never been able to cross over) in my mind; or if we narrow it down further – that of Indian Occupied Kashmir and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Having cross border ties between families, the two cities have not cut down the people to people contact. The socio-economic cooperation is still going strong. This is in complete contrary to India and Pakistan cross border cooperation and beneficial to both sides, the two countries driven by their respective narratives do not want to budge at all. Here is an insight into the cross border cooperation happening in Narva and Ivangorod; and what it takes to be pragmatic in cross border cooperation.

The bridge linking the two towns

Both the towns were destroyed during the World War II and only three people were left alive. Both the towns were re-developed. They got separated in 1991 when Estonia – one of the Baltic States – left the USSR. Families got divided. So much so, Narva still has more than 80 percent of Russian speakers and only 4 percent speak Estonian language. The number of Estonian passport holders in the city is around 46 percent, those with Russian passport form 36 percent of the population and the rest are stateless (There are many who have chosen not to accept any citizenship. To become Estonian citizen one need to pass a language test, a daunting task for many of the old people living in the city.).

The two countries continue to engage in war of words, with Russia alleging mistreatment of Russian ethnics at the hands of the Estonian government, Estonia portray the USSR as the occupier of their country. Choosing language as the basis of citizenship stems from Estonia's quest to differentiate itself from its larger neighbour. The collective memory of Estonia which is still a nationalising state, is shaped to consider Russia as an enemy. Despite the gulf between the two countries, cooperation at social level continues between two towns.

 In this backdrop, are set the relations between Ivangorod and Narva. For border they have a river. But the imposing security paraphernalia like Indo-Pak border is conspicuous by its absence. People have relatives on the other side and can easily visit them. Before 2000, they did not require visa to go to the other side. Things became a bit difficult after Estonia joined the European Union, but the flow of people to and fro is pretty strong.

At social level and Municipal level they still cooperate. Speaking of this the Mayor of Ivangorod, Shahrova Tatyana said: “The cross border cooperation has been intensive and uninterrupted.” She was also born in Narva and her parents moved to Ivangorod after 1991. Gestures like celebrating the New Year together and one side giving big gifts to the first baby on the other side. Both sides are rebuilding their historical fortresses on both sides to boost tourism. There are people who live on one side of the border and go to work on the other side.

The complex administrative structure on the Russian side makes cooperation a bit difficult as border security is the federal subject and border cooperation falls under the ambit of municipal authorities. 

Cut to India-Pakistan border – one of the most highly controlled borders in the world having very non-liberalised visa policy. While I can understand the animosity between the two countries, I cannot fathom the ugly display of jingoism by the two sides. Shouting at the top of their voices, lifting their feet above their heads and virtually abusing each other- I really do not comprehend what the two sides portray to the thousands of tourists thronging the stands to witness the spectacle. Cross border trade and travel are highly restricted. The two countries barter 21 items, mainly vegetables and fruit across the Line of Control (the de-facto border between the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and the Indian Kashmir).

Mi-17V5 stationed at Jamnagar

Here is the press release issued by the Ministry of Defence

"It was proud moment for a Helicopter Unit at Air Force Station, Jamnagar, when the 'state of the art' Mi – 17 V5s were today formally inducted at the base. The unit was raised almost 42 years back on 03 Mar 1972 at Guwahati and has been operating the Mi-8 helicopters, the workhorse for the IAF.

 Air Marshal Daljit Singh, Air Officer Commanding – in – Chief of South Western Air Command today handed over the formidable helicopters to the unit in a ceremony. To mark the occasion the helicopters rolled through the water cannon, keeping up with the traditional welcome for new inductions. The event was also graced by the senior officers from Headquarters South Western Air Command and Air Commodore PR Navalkar, Air Officer Commanding Air Force Station Jamnagar.

 Speaking on the occasion, the Air Marshal expressed confidence in the potential increase in capabilities of the unit in undertaking multifarious missions in its area of responsibility, especially Saurashtra and Kutch regions of Gujarat. The unit has the proud distinction of having served across the length and breadth of country and across the spectrum of helicopter operations since its raising. The unit has been doing yeoman service in providing succor and relief during natural calamities in Gujarat since it relocated at Jamnagar in 1990. The unit has been an integral part of relief ops carried out during massive earthquake at Bhuj and unforeseen tragedies like flash floods, shipping accidents etc.

The multi-purpose Mi-17 V5 is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics and navigation systems like on-board weather radar and autopilot. It also has advanced night-vision equipment and a glass cockpit. The Mi-17 V5 chopper is a medium-lift helicopter which can carry over 5 tonnes of load."

New Su-30MKIs fighter bases in East, West, South

As the Indian Air Force (IAF) is gearing up to phase out its old warhorses the Soviet-vintage MiG-21s the agile and lethal Sukhoi Su-30MKIs are going to be its back bone – with a total of 17 squadrons to be deployed along side India’s border with Pakistan and China and also in the South to cover up the country’s southern flank up to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

On the west the efforts to deploy these air dominance fighter jets at these bases are aimed at countering the US’ F-16s and Chinese JF-17 ‘Thunder’ jets Pakistan is procuring, and in the east the objective is to balance the massive development carried out by China in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

“Plans are in the offing to base these war birds at Bhuj (Gujarat), Sirsa (Haryana), Kalaikunda (West Bengal), Hashimara (in West Bengal) and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu,” officials said. The strategic importance of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has compelled the IAF to bolster its capability in the region. Plans are in the offing to have a fighter jets in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, from where the Sukhois have operated in the past.

The new Sukhoi bases in Bhuj and Sirsa will be on the Western border and will be conducting strategic surveillance and reconnaissance in the region. On this side of the border the Sukhois are already based at Bhatinda and Halwara in Punjab and Jodhpur air base in Rajasthan.  On the Eastern side in Kalaikunda and Hashimara, the fighter jets will complement the Tejpur and Chabua fighter bases. Armed with Israeli reconnaissance pods, these fighter jets have the capability to look into the Chinese territory for good 300 kms.

At present the IAF has Su-30MKIs frontline fighter jets – that can be altered to drop a nuclear bomb – are based at Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), in Tezpur (Assam), Halwara (Punjab), Pune (Lohegaon) and Jodhpur. The Sukhois were inducted into the IAF at Lohegaon air base in 2002 thereafter they were inducted at Bareilly followed by inductions at Tejpur, Chabua, Jodhpur, Bhatinda and Halwara.

“The Sukhoi fighter squadron at Bhuj and Sirsa shall be inducted by the end of this year. Kalaikunda and Hashimara will be ready by mid next year. Thanjavur is aimed to be operational by 2015,” officials added.

The IAF has contracted for 230 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets from Russia. Out of these 140 will be manufactured under license at the public sector major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in India. With the IAF needing to maintain minimum squadron strength in the face of the phasing out of MiG-21s and MiG-27s, the HAL has been asked to complete its present order by 2013-14.

Presently the last of the pilots’ batch is getting trained on MiG-21s Type 77 – the oldest of the MiG-21s that were the force’s mainstay in 1971 Indo-Pak War. They are scheduled to finish its syllabus by January 2014 paving the way for their retirement. Whereas the two squadrons of Type-96 MiG-21s will revert back to operational role from training and will continue to serve the force till 2015. The four squadrons of MiG-27s will be retired in a phased manner by 2016-17.