“In general, everything was going well in the beginning until we started ‘fooling’ them,” said General Leonid Ivashev.
According to Russian news site svpressa, while relations between Russia and India are somewhat faltering, the US has safely entered the Indian market with its weapons and does not give up this position easily.
Eric Garcetti – who was nominated by US President Joe Biden as US Ambassador to New Delhi, noted that Washington and New Delhi should strengthen military-technical cooperation because the US is ready to “transfer some technology”. for India. Meanwhile, the Military Times called India a “security ally of the United States” with support from both Democrats and Republicans.
In an interview with svpressa.ru, General Leonid Ivashov, a Russian military expert, said that Russia and India have a long history of cooperation, including in the military field. Actually, it started back in the days of the USSR. It was the Soviet Union that provided economic assistance to India immediately after it freed itself from colonial dependence on Britain.
However, over time, things also change.
But geopolitical interests remained. I personally insisted that India be admitted to the SCO. We needed a balancer to counterbalance China’s influence. The Chinese, by the way, at first resisted, but then agreed, however, set a condition for Pakistan to participate there as well. The Indians, in turn, appreciated that in this way they helped to distance Pakistan slightly from the United States. And then the difficulties began – said General Leonid Ivashev
The Indians offered to establish a joint production of fifth generation weapons. They asked for our technology, but Ilya Klebanov, the deputy prime minister in charge of the defense industry complex, opposed it. By his order, they were denied this so that they could buy “hardware” from us. But the Indians literally saved our tank production, and indeed, our defense industry. When the industry crashed in Russia, they bought our tanks. They saved the industry with their orders. In general, everything went well in the beginning. And then we started fooling them, said General Ivashev
He also mentioned when India offered to buy an aircraft carrier from Russia, which would become the flagship of the Indian navy. We signed a modernization contract, promised that instead of the MiG-29 we would supply heavy Su-27s for this aircraft carrier, but this was technically impossible to implement. The Indians also wanted to purchase the entire line of our fighters, plus long-range radar aircraft. We gave them a ride here too. Klebanov promised to supply the planes, but on condition that they will have Russian and not Israel “stuffing”. India simply refused.
We add that there were other reasons for the temporary cooling. This is the unsettledness of financial and economic relations and the refusal of the Russian side from barter in mutual settlements. As a result, the Indian military was very impressed with the latest American technology, began to cooperate with the United States said General Ivashev
But now cooperation in the field of arms purchases is getting better.
– Not certainly in that way. Russia, unfortunately, has previously shown itself to be an unreliable partner. President Putin’s visit to India can be described as “excusable”. Although it resulted in the signing of contracts for the supply of Russian arms, India will not rely on them. She, for example, eagerly buys French Mirages. Indians are also offended by the fact that Russia clearly gives preference to China. Relations between the two countries are tense. And India wants to have weapons that are superior in performance to those we supply to the Chinese.
Russia and India have no geopolitical or strategic contradictions. But we keep her at a distance. The Indians wanted to join the Northern Sea Route, to participate in the development of the Arctic. We turned them down- Said General Ivashev
” Unfortunately. Russia has previously presented itself as an unreliable partner, ” said Mr. Ivashov.
According to the expert, President Putin’s visit to India is described as “with reason”. Although Moscow has secured a number of arms deals, India will not rely on them.
For example, New Delhi is still happy to buy Rafale fighters from France, the people of India are also upset that Russia has a clear preference for China because, in fact, India wants weapons with high performance, superior to the weapons that Russia provides to China.