Old lovers meet

BY darius| IN Opinion | 13/12/2005

You don`t say! 

Darius Nakhoonwala

Manmohan Singh`s visit to Moscow last week was like a meeting between former spouses who parted company without much rancour - warm, nostalgic and without tension. The Telegraph put it best when it said "Nostalgia is a good way to inject fresh life into a relationship."

The leader writers caught the spirit and even the Business Standard which has never hidden its contempt for the Indo-Russian connection was moved to observe "In a constantly changing world, one of the few unchanging realities has been strong Indo-Russian relations—except perhaps in name from Indo-Soviet relations."

The Telegraph also got all the right words in. "But the change in the equations of global power in a world where the structure of the economy has changed too would need altered premises of understanding even in an ambience of inherited warmth."

Nostalgia and warm and changelessness aside, the facts of life intruded in a no-nonsense way. The Russians made it clear that India would have to separate its military and civilian nuclear facilities if it wanted Russian supply of fuel to Kudankulam.

The Hindu, as ever, used inappropriate words. "India`s national interests demand a strengthening and deepening of friendly ties with Russia." Demand? Require, surely, would have been a better choice?

That error apart, it did a nice summing up of the vistas that have opened up for energy cooperation and then went on to say "In the past, Russia`s efforts at pushing the supply envelope with India were thwarted by American opposition in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. But with Washington looking for ways to open the door to nuclear commerce, Moscow does not wish to be left behind. Russia will be happy if the July 18 agreement is implemented smoothly."

Does this mean the Hindu now approves of the July 18 agreement between India and the US? How inconsistent can you get?

The Hindustan Times got it bang on. "The outcome of … visit to Russia is the best proof that the India-US nuclear agreement of July 18 is the key that will unlock the many bolts clamped on India`s civil and military nuclear programmes…Now there is complete agreement between New Delhi, Moscow and Washington, and Paris and London, on the next steps. The bargain clearly, favours India, no matter what nitpicking domestic critics say… the Russian decision to move on the lease of two Akula-class nuclear-propelled submarines... Those who launched an artillery barrage on the government for signing the agreement with the US in July need to do a little bit of introspection, and, perhaps some expiation."

The Business Standard took a longer and somewhat more philosophic view. "If one peers into the future… Russia`s ability to act as an interlocutor or convener cannot be over emphasised. Like India, it shares a huge border with China, and has reasons to view the dramatic surge in Chinese economic and military power with a degree of circumspection. Russia and India will have to work together to keep Chinese ambitions, which are not circumscribed by the exigencies of democracy, in check. This will have to be done at several levels, not the least of which is arriving at mutually convenient and beneficial accommodation with the US."

Contact: Darius.Nakhoonwala@gmail.com