India–Russia: 2+2 meetings first with a country outside QUAD : Daily Current Affairs

GS-2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Key phrases - 2+2, Quad, India-Russia

Why in news-

India held 2+2 meetings with Russia

Analysis:

What is 2+2?

  • India now has a 2+2 format dialogue mechanism on strategic and security issues with four of its key strategic partners, Russia being the latest. The three others — Australia, the US and Japan — are also ‘Quad’ partners
  • 2+2 dialogue is held between the foreign and defence ministers of two countries and is generally seen to be aimed at creating a mechanism under which the bilateral relationship takes a decisive strategic turn with greater integration of defence, security and intelligence
  • It enables both sides to understand each other’s strategic sensitivities more deeply, while taking into account the political nuances of the relationship
  • 2+2 format dialogue, nevertheless, helps in bringing the countries closer and gives out the message of active engagement

What are quad meetings?

  • Informal, strategic dialogue between USA, Japan, India, Australia
  • Concert of democracies-with exercises like operation Malabar- It is called diamond of democracies
  • Stabilizing transition of power in Indo-Pacific - shift from trans-Atlantic to indo pacific with USA’s relative decline and China's growth
  • A counter to china and its growing unilateralism and assault on maritime security and freedom of navigation

Why 2+2 with Russia?

  • India-Russia 2+2 does have a particularly strong signaling component when seen against the backdrop of the S400 controversy. It can be read as a reminder to Washington that the S400 deal and broader India-Russia defence cooperation will continue
  • This gives out a strong message to the world that India sees everyone to be on the same level. This is visible messaging
  • Show that the defence to defence relationship between both countries is robust
  • Including Russia in indo Pacific region along with USA to allay Russian fears and for a multipolar indo Pacific
  • Having a 2+2 with Russia also means that India is “not in anyone’s camp” and that bilateral ties between Moscow and New Delhi are “traditional and comprehensive”

India-Russia relationship strengths

  • Russian support on international forums for India -Example its full support on Kashmir issue and 370
  • India's involvement in far east Russian development joining league of Korea, China, Japan investment for development by its 1 billion dollars LOC
  • Shared history of cooperation since cold war era-Russia’s support in 1971 war, Russian help in India's 5 year plans
  • Energy cooperation-ONGC Videsh has 20 % stakes in Sakhalin oil, several joint projects in Bay of Bengal

Weak areas in Indo-Russia ties

  • Growing reliance of Russia on China due to its conflicts with West and Indias closer partnership with US-Russia joined Chinese BRI- newly launched gas partnership where Russia inaugurated 8k km gas pipeline from Siberia (called power of Siberia) to China
  • Increasing bonhomie with Pakistan and reports of Russian willingness to sell them arms -opposed by India-Russia has been strong votary of negotiating with Taliban and not given attention to India’s reservations
  • India’s growing proximity to the United States: Rapidly expanding ties and growing defence relationship between India and US and, India joining quadrilateral group led by the US has led to a strategic shift in Russia’s foreign policy-Russia called quad as Asian NATO.
  • Trade has been one-dimensional i.e. defence based. The trade in 2017-18 was $10.7 billion, which is far below potential in comparison to India’s trade with China ($89.7 billion), the United States ($74.5 billion

Way ahead

  • Far East has potential to strengthen indo Russian ties for Russia looks to curb China's influence in region and India expanded scope of act east policy by including Moscow-resource rich region-Sakhalin oil field
  • Collaboration for Indian investment in the eastern region-oil and gas sector and reduce dependence on gulf-98% of diamonds and 50% gold of world mined here
  • Leveraging Multilateral Institutions for Improving Relations: Promote mutually beneficial trilateral cooperation between Russia, China and India that could contribute towards the reduction of mistrust and suspicion between India and China.

Source: Indian Express