Ukraine crisis stretches Ukraine mapneutrality’ to the limit

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Russian invasion to Ukraine has left the traditional Indian balancing action between Moscow and West looking wobblier than before, with experts say New Delhi has several good diplomatic choices.

Last week India Abstain at the UN Security Council resolution that interrupted Russian “aggression” against Ukraine, won praise from Moscow for “independent and balanced positions”.

But while New Delhi hopes this will be seen as neutrality, in many capitals of his failure to condemn the invasion taken as the support of de facto Moscow who gave President Vladimir Putin close diplomatic.

And India was also reported to be looking to enhance the rupee-rupee trade agreement with Moscow, potentially damaging western efforts to isolate Russia from the global financial system.

The crisis has left India to face a dilemma: it leaned on the Soviet Union during the Cold War – while Pakistan was in West camp – and their close profit

At the same time he needs Western support to compete with XI Jinping which is increasingly firmly China: Beijing extends its reach to the Indian Ocean, and both countries have deadly border clashes in 2020.

Together with the US, Japan and Australia, India is also a member of the “Quad Alliance” which is seen as a fortress against China.

His decision to abstain on the Voting Security Council on Friday left him together only Beijing and the United Arab Emirates, while Russia vetoed the resolution.

There are not many choices owned by India,” said Nandan Unnikrishnan from The Observer Research Foundation.

It has as much investment as a relationship with Russia because it has a relationship with the United States”, he told AFP.

The challenge of India in maritime is the place needed by the United States and Indian challenges on the continental shelf where he needs Russia.”

Putin visited India last year, on a rare foreign trip for the Russian President, Prime Minister Bear Narendra Modi as two men supported military and energy bonds.

New Delhi is the second largest weapon importer in the world after Saudi Arabia and in accordance with business standards, between 2016-2020, 49.4 percent of its purchases come from Russia.

Late last year began giving birth from Russia from the Rudal S-400 defense system which was agreed to buy more than $ 5 billion in 2018, despite the threat of US sanctions.

And while New Delhi wants to develop its own capacity and diversify its suppliers, US imports contribute to only 11 percent.

Asian giants 1.4 billion people are also the main consumers of Russian oil. The total annual bilateral trade runs around $ 9 billion, with a small amount of pharmaceutical, tea and coffee in other ways.

Russia also repeatedly vetted the UN resolution condemning Delhi for his behavior in Kashmir managed by India where the violent rebellion had raged for decades.

According to Happymon Jacob from the University of Jawaharlal Nehru, Russia may be “the only partner of the consequences” in the area in the north.