Keeping in view the Cold War period, the Indo-Russian relations were marked by indifference initially but later those were called special. The disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the emergence of Russia as its successor led to a saga of drastic changes not only in the domestic arena but also in foreign policy. The economic compulsions prompted the Russian leadership to tilt towards the west at the cost of traditional friends like India. This was further compounded by controversies and misunderstandings.
The changing equation in international politics due to the emergence of terrorism on a global scale, as also Islamic extremism, has provided opportunity for the two countries to come on a common platform. The problem of terrorism in Chechnya and Kashmir has been of great concern for Russia and India. The other areas where the interests of Russia and India converge are: striving for multipolar global order, strengthening democracy, technological and economic imperatives that have immense potential for joint ventures and cooperation. Thus, Indo-Russian relations are not only marked by the historical compulsions but also by the changed global realities that make it necessary to further strengthen the bilateral ties.
Written in a communicative style, the book attempts to highlight and trace various aspects of Indo-Russian relations since their evolution, including the major developments that have happened in this area. The focus has been on convergence of interests in post-cold war period. Keeping in view the global process of change and development, the Kashmir-Chechnya comparison and the areas of convergence between the two countries, the book touches a subject of topical interest.
The book should prove useful not only for researchers, policy makers but also for all those interested in understanding the comprehensive mapping of the Indo-Russian relations. |
