Contextualizing India–Russia Relations

Abstract

This article situates India–Russia relations in the historical, regional and global context, and the ideological and political discourse in the two countries. It argues that though geopolitics and state interest might have been the immediate, even the compelling, reason behind the Indo-Soviet ties, their coming together was also in accordance with domestic political discourse in the two countries. The article tries to answer questions such as: Why is Russia important in global politics and for India? What are the issues on which the world views and the national interest of the two countries converge? What are the major challenges and opportunities for India–Russia relations? It argues that the two countries need to find and agree upon certain ideational or ideological commonalities to give stability to their relationship.