GS2 PYQ 2020 (Mains Answer Writing): Indo-Russian & Indo-US Defence | UPSC Mains: International Relations PDF Download

What is the significance of Indo-US defence deals over Indo-Russian defence deals? Discuss with reference to stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (UPSC GS2 2020)

US-INDIA relations enjoy a bipartisan consensus, especially on defence and security relations (DSR) which are the original drivers of their comprehensive global strategic partnership. India expects the US administration to catalyse DSR by implementing the Defence Technology Trade Initiative to provide high-end defence technology, change the buyer-seller mode to joint development and co-production, now that the Defence Industrial Security Annexe and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) are signed.
A Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CATSA) waiver on India buying Russian defence equipment, like the S-400 air defence system. India-Russian is the bilateral relations between India and Russia. During the Cold War, India and the Soviet Union (USSR) had a strong strategic, military, economic and diplomatic relationship. Russia inherited its close relationship with India which resulted in both nations sharing a Special Relationship. Russia and India both term this relationship as a “special and privileged strategic partnership”. Traditionally, the Indo-Russian strategic partnership has been built on five major components: politics, defence, civil nuclear energy, anti-terrorism co-operation and space.
Significance of Indo-US defence deals and Indo-Russian defence deals 

• India-US defence deals 
  • The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement: It largely pertains to geospatial intelligence, and sharing information on maps and satellite images for defence. Anyone who sails a ship, flies an aircraft, fights wars, locates targets, responds to natural disasters, or even navigates with a cell phone relies on geospatial intelligence. 
  • The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA): It allows the military of each country to replenish from the other’s bases: access supplies, spare parts and services from the other country’s land facilities, air bases, and ports, which can then be reimbursed. This is extremely useful for Navy-to-Navy cooperation, since the US and India are cooperating closely in the Indo-Pacific. 
  • The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA): It allows the US to provide India with its encrypted communications equipment and systems so that Indian and US military commanders, aircraft and ships can communicate through secure networks in peace and war. 
• India-Russia Defence Deals 
  • S-400 Anti-missile System: It is an anti-missile system.The radar fitted in the S-400 antimissile system has a range of about 600 km for surveillance and can track 300 targets simultaneously. 
  • Kilo-class Submarines: In 1986, the first INS Sindhughosh was commissioned. In 2000, the Indian Navy inducted the youngest Kilo-class submarine. Till now, the Kilo-class fleet has been upgraded several times in terms of SONAR system, electronics and weapons, etc. 
  • T-90S Battle Tanks: The T-90S tank can target low-flying helicopters up to 5 km of range, has an infrared jammer, a laser warning system with four laser warning receivers, a grenade discharging system that produces an aerosol screen and a computerised control system. It also has nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) protection equipment. 
  • India-Russia Defence Deals at Def Expo: During DefExpo 2020, India and Russia signed 14 MoUs (memorandums of understanding). The MoUs consist of development and production of land, air and naval systems and hi-tech civilian products.  
• The United States 
  • It is the leader of the “Indo-Pacific Strategy”. At present, the United States has put forward the “Indo-Pacific Strategy” which reflects the attention of the United States to the Indian Ocean region. 
  • Through its economic rise in recent years India has has become a leader among emerging economies. 
  • On the other hand, after the retreat of Obama’s”Asia-Pacific rebalancing” strategy, the AsiaPacific power structure involved corresponding adjustments. 
  • Allies in the Asia-Pacific region have been skeptical of Trump’s foreign policies. This time, the objective why Trump returned to the “Indo-Pacific Strategy” is very clear The “Indo-Pacific Strategy” is the expansion and revision of the “Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy.” The purpose is to contain China’s rise and safeguard U.S. leadership in the region. 
• Russia Opposes an Indo-Pacific Order 
  • Its interests in the APR are based on the Russian Far East’s proximity to China, Japan, and the two Koreas; its political history with these countries; and its perception of these East Asian countries as ‘gateways’ to greater economic and political ties with Southeast Asia. 
  • Reaffirming the importance of ASEAN’s centrality to Southeast Asian politics and dissuading China’s exclusion is a natural extension of Russia’s desire to maintain its neutral image in the region. 
  • Russia’s participation in the so-called “Axis of Revisionists” is not only driven by normative challenges to the US-led global order but also by the idea of an imminent medium-term US China conflict in the Pacific; a conflict Russia believes it will have to participate in. 

Conclusion 
As a foreign policy move, incorporating Russia in the IPR gives weight to the concept as a free, fair, and open space. Russia’s normative and strategic calculations have undeniably put it on an opposing path. With growing US-China and India-China tensions, Russian acceptance of the IPR looks unlikely.

Topics covered - Indo Pacific, India USA relations