India-Russia: News & Analysis

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Manish_Sharma
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Manish_Sharma »

Russia Today's fall is good!


@ByRakesh Simha:

Good thing about the Ukraine War is RT got banned everywhere. They had been pissing on India for years. My friends at Russia Beyond told me RT employs some hardcore racist Brits in their newsroom and they are the ones who print bad things about India. But that's no excuse.

Without clearance from the Kremlin, RT cannot piss on India. And yet it was doing so for years. Stuff about poverty, of homeless women giving birth on footpaths, of bizarre Indian customs and superstitions.

And RT doesn't need to do it or seek clickbaits because it doesn't need the money. A Russian law passed by Putin guarantees around $300 million per year for RT funding. So it's clear they were doing it to make India look bad.

Like any other govt, the Kremlin also has its share of idiots like Dmitry Rogozin who played bad cop with India and took a pro Pakistan line. I'll bet he's now begging India to buy Russian crude.

https://twitter.com/ByRakeshSimha/statu ... szUcQ&s=19

@heavensbutcher:

You are right, they supported the JNU protest. Even invited Shila Rashid to their Moscow studios to abuse India.
https://twitter.com/heavensbutcher/stat ... oGoaQ&s=19
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by ks_sachin »

Manish_Sharma wrote:Russia Today's fall is good!


@ByRakesh Simha:

Good thing about the Ukraine War is RT got banned everywhere. They had been pissing on India for years. My friends at Russia Beyond told me RT employs some hardcore racist Brits in their newsroom and they are the ones who print bad things about India. But that's no excuse.

Without clearance from the Kremlin, RT cannot piss on India. And yet it was doing so for years. Stuff about poverty, of homeless women giving birth on footpaths, of bizarre Indian customs and superstitions.

And RT doesn't need to do it or seek clickbaits because it doesn't need the money. A Russian law passed by Putin guarantees around $300 million per year for RT funding. So it's clear they were doing it to make India look bad.

Like any other govt, the Kremlin also has its share of idiots like Dmitry Rogozin who played bad cop with India and took a pro Pakistan line. I'll bet he's now begging India to buy Russian crude.

https://twitter.com/ByRakeshSimha/statu ... szUcQ&s=19

@heavensbutcher:

You are right, they supported the JNU protest. Even invited Shila Rashid to their Moscow studios to abuse India.
https://twitter.com/heavensbutcher/stat ... oGoaQ&s=19
Surely Uncle Putin could have been more forceful if he considered India a strategic partner. I thought he had complete control over things.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by uddu »

For RT, I think it's better to bring equilibrium in narrative that it was Russia+Ukraine (USSR) that helped India during cold war days and not just today's Russia. Second take the 20% discounted oil fully and distribute it among the masses with 20 percent discount and enjoy the show while telling the one's that WE MAKE HISTORY and never ever poke your nose with the "side of history" statement.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Mort Walker »

Have to agree about RT. They always have some odd ball news about India like the UK’s Daily Mail. Completely unnecessary.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Thakur_B »

Putin's fifth column speech. We call them BIF / IOI / Tukde Tukde gang. I haven't seen any world leader be so clear and concise in description of this concept.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by vijayk »

Manish_Sharma wrote:Russia Today's fall is good!


@ByRakesh Simha:

Good thing about the Ukraine War is RT got banned everywhere. They had been pissing on India for years. My friends at Russia Beyond told me RT employs some hardcore racist Brits in their newsroom and they are the ones who print bad things about India. But that's no excuse.

Without clearance from the Kremlin, RT cannot piss on India. And yet it was doing so for years. Stuff about poverty, of homeless women giving birth on footpaths, of bizarre Indian customs and superstitions.

And RT doesn't need to do it or seek clickbaits because it doesn't need the money. A Russian law passed by Putin guarantees around $300 million per year for RT funding. So it's clear they were doing it to make India look bad.

Like any other govt, the Kremlin also has its share of idiots like Dmitry Rogozin who played bad cop with India and took a pro Pakistan line. I'll bet he's now begging India to buy Russian crude.

https://twitter.com/ByRakeshSimha/statu ... szUcQ&s=19

@heavensbutcher:

You are right, they supported the JNU protest. Even invited Shila Rashid to their Moscow studios to abuse India.
https://twitter.com/heavensbutcher/stat ... oGoaQ&s=19
With China, US and Russia ... editorial control is fully exercised by powers as far foreign coverage is concerned.

When T said NYT does not follow WH diktats, they protested and said they do follow
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Abhi_G »

Is the sea route from Vladivostok to India secure?
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by kit »

Abhi_G wrote:Is the sea route from Vladivostok to India secure?
Why ?
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Abhi_G »

kit wrote:
Abhi_G wrote:Is the sea route from Vladivostok to India secure?
Why ?
That's the route for delivery of Russian oil, if not wrong. Creation of some issue that derails/sabotages the delivery.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by rsingh »

What? Russia's FSB has no influence on Indian newspapers? Ah those KGB times.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by SRajesh »

What about FGFA
Is this the time for resuscitate this project
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Bart S »

Rsatchi wrote:What about FGFA
Is this the time for resuscitate this project
Yes, our FGFA is the AMCA now. We dodged a bullet (or a Gorskov) there due to Russias own greed, and having moved on, trying to rekindle our involvement in that Russian wild goose chase would be like trying to bring smallpox back from eradication.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by GShankar »

Rsatchi wrote:What about FGFA
Is this the time for resuscitate this project
We should absolutely resuscitate efforts to get our money back - whatever was invested.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by sanjaykumar »

How did the Soviet Union Russify CAR? How deep were the links under the czars? What were the policies that led to large scale Russian settlement in Kazakhstan? We’re the Kazakhs the Cossacks of yore?

Are there any lessons for India?
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Rakesh »

https://twitter.com/b_parkyn/status/150 ... YnfCsKz7NQ ---> Russian oil exports to India have already quadrupled this month. "Committed oil cargoes from Russia that can’t find buyers in Europe are being bought by India" Fascinating story by @harrydemps @ChloeNCornish

Russian oil exports to India surge as Europe shuns cargoes
https://www.ft.com/content/5efc6338-3f0 ... a4a1944ca8
18 March 2022
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Rakesh »

Some funny tweets to the tweet and article above....

https://twitter.com/elmihiro/status/150 ... YnfCsKz7NQ ---> “Oil exports have QUAD-rupled”

https://twitter.com/joysamcyborg/status ... YnfCsKz7NQ ---> Hindi Rusi Bhai Bhai. Beech meh Amrika Kaha sey aai.

https://twitter.com/B_Sahill/status/150 ... YnfCsKz7NQ ---> Quad-rubled
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Mort Walker »

rsingh wrote:What? Russia's FSB has no influence on Indian newspapers? Ah those KGB times.
Let’s not forget the poisoning of LBS in Tashkent by the KGB in January 1966.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by ks_sachin »

Mort Walker wrote:
rsingh wrote:What? Russia's FSB has no influence on Indian newspapers? Ah those KGB times.
Let’s not forget the poisoning of LBS in Tashkent by the KGB in January 1966.
You beat me to it.

WE should not have rose coloured glasses WRT any of our so called friends.

If it suits Putin he will dump us like a hot potato.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by rsingh »

ks_sachin wrote:
Mort Walker wrote:
Let’s not forget the poisoning of LBS in Tashkent by the KGB in January 1966.
You beat me to it.

WE should not have rose coloured glasses WRT any of our so called friends.

If it suits Putin he will dump us like a hot potato.
Well, Indian media is wearing Western rose glasses and that is ok, it seems. Let me to remind something

Secret message from Harami Kissinger to China in 1971 explaining that road is free for China to punish India ( thus helping Bakistan.
Third rate powers like UK naver fail to preach India on tolerance. They destroyed Libya, Iraq and Syria on false pretext. Yet we take western propaganda as universal truth.
We are still sauvage killer of Mahatma Gandhi tat is what average French thinks.
In Nordic tribes you can not name your kids as you wish. You have to take state permission. They preach us on freedom.
I am not advocating for Russian influence. West has blocked Russian media but in India it is free. Why nobody gives Russian version? That is the issue.
ks_sachin
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by ks_sachin »

rsingh wrote:
ks_sachin wrote:
You beat me to it.

WE should not have rose coloured glasses WRT any of our so called friends.

If it suits Putin he will dump us like a hot potato.
Well, Indian media is wearing Western rose glasses and that is ok, it seems. Let me to remind something

Secret message from Harami Kissinger to China in 1971 explaining that road is free for China to punish India ( thus helping Bakistan.
Third rate powers like UK naver fail to preach India on tolerance. They destroyed Libya, Iraq and Syria on false pretext. Yet we take western propaganda as universal truth.
We are still sauvage killer of Mahatma Gandhi tat is what average French thinks.
In Nordic tribes you can not name your kids as you wish. You have to take state permission. They preach us on freedom.
I am not advocating for Russian influence. West has blocked Russian media but in India it is free. Why nobody gives Russian version? That is the issue.
Well I don’t have rose tinted glasses. I know how the media works having been a journalist in a prior life. Shame on us that we don’t question and have a sceptical mindset. A lot of problems plaguing society like the KGB/FSB, CIA, western media and religion would be less in their impact no?
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Manish_Sharma »

#Breaking US and Western Allies block #Russia's gold reserves from being used for transactions.

➡️ Russia country holds $100 -140 billion in #gold reserves, roughly 20% of the holdings in the Russian Central Bank
https://twitter.com/michaeltanchum/stat ... KuBaQ&s=19
______________________

How can they block gold when it is physically held by Russian bank in Russian territory?!
https://twitter.com/AkashRa52423008/sta ... adnmQ&s=19
______________________
https://twitter.com/HawkEye02723358/sta ... avOUg&s=19

#Sanctions math
Russia is the #1 exporter in the world for natural gas, wheat, fertilizer, nickel, palladium, diamonds & aluminum
#2 for oil, cobalt, titanium
high in platinum, steel, copper
all items the west needs - AS DOES 88% OF THE REST OF THE WORLD!

Cope :shock: :eek:
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by kit »

Don't think any country can "block" gold reserves inside a country. Stupidity at its best. As long as gold as a commodity retains value it is "gold " . I hope people think through stuff like this. The collective west is huffing and puffing and shooting from all holes .

America has now put together a group to study "effects" of nuclear war now. Heaven forbid. They seem to be quite enjoying all the drama
Manish_Sharma
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Manish_Sharma »

kit wrote:
America has now put together a group to study "effects" of nuclear war now. Heaven forbid. They seem to be quite enjoying all the drama
Putin had said in January "whoever hits first punch wins"

So probably Russia is on hair trigger high Defcon alert.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Guddu »

Seeing how much Russia is dependent on China to survive the Uk. war sanctions, going forward their ability to help India visa vis China may be now severely compromised.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by nandakumar »

kit wrote:Don't think any country can "block" gold reserves inside a country. Stupidity at its best. As long as gold as a commodity retains value it is "gold " . I hope people think through stuff like this. The collective west is huffing and puffing and shooting from all holes .

America has now put together a group to study "effects" of nuclear war now. Heaven forbid. They seem to be quite enjoying all the drama
They are trying to do to gold something similar to what the diamond trade did with regard to diamond mined in conflict areas such as Liberia, Sierra Leone etc. They introduced a passport like system with sealed containers of rough diamonds. But it was partially successful and in any case worked with poor under developed countries with limited 'State Capacity' to beat the sanctions regime. But Russia? That would be a different ball game.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Guddu »

Gold can be melted and rebranded. Will never work.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Mort Walker »

Guddu wrote:Seeing how much Russia is dependent on China to survive the Uk. war sanctions, going forward their ability to help India visa vis China may be now severely compromised.
It will be a slow divestment of Russian weapon systems for the Indian armed forces. This whole fiasco is a lesson in self reliance where the services will be told that they must use Indian weapon systems, albeit with foreign components, and all imports will end. The alternative is nothing.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Karan M »

They are refusing to change their behavior beyond small ticket procurement and that's the issue. Nor has the Govt shown any interest in increasing R&D, weapons budgets to accelerate development and replace existing items. If anything budgets are under pressure and more is being carved out for pvt sector etc without accelerating existing programs.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Mort Walker »

Karan M wrote:They are refusing to change their behavior beyond small ticket procurement and that's the issue. Nor has the Govt shown any interest in increasing R&D, weapons budgets to accelerate development and replace existing items. If anything budgets are under pressure and more is being carved out for pvt sector etc without accelerating existing programs.
So the lesson has not been learned. The FM needs to provide a separate CAPEX for domestic R&D and production. More orders needed for Tejas, Arjun, helos, artillery, and small arms.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by ldev »

Guddu wrote:Gold can be melted and rebranded. Will never work.
To sell physical gold or to get credit against it it needs to be shown that it has come from a certified refiner. All 6 Russian gold refiners have been de-certified from the London Metal Exchange. So while not impossible it makes it that much more difficult for Russia to sell/obtain finance against it's gold. Also, the amounts involved are large, not something that can be done under cover. Russia has ~2000 metric tons of gold reserves. Only another country's Central Bank will have the financial capability to either buy or provide finance against Russian gold. And the only countries that fit this bill with large enough foreign exchange reserves are India and China. One can rule out India as it will never risk such a sanction busting move. That only leaves China.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by ldev »

Mort Walker wrote:
Guddu wrote:Seeing how much Russia is dependent on China to survive the Uk. war sanctions, going forward their ability to help India visa vis China may be now severely compromised.
It will be a slow divestment of Russian weapon systems for the Indian armed forces. This whole fiasco is a lesson in self reliance where the services will be told that they must use Indian weapon systems, albeit with foreign components, and all imports will end. The alternative is nothing.
When there was that heated debate on the forum about India acquiring the S-400 system I had questioned the wisdom of India going even deeper into Russian dependency for it's weapons system, given the already overwhelming dependency on Russia even before the acquisition of the S-400. Remember Mort when you were banned!! Frankly, given the present circumstances I wonder whether the 2nd S-400 will ever be delivered. Even if the war in Ukraine ends right now, the sanctions on Russia are going to remain for the foreseeable future. What will be the impact of sanctions on Russia's defence sector which has been specifically targeted by the sanctions e.g. United Aircraft Corporation and the Irkutsk Aviation plant (which produces the SU-30 variants) have been specifically mentioned in the western sanctions bills.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by fanne »

Karan M wrote:They are refusing to change their behavior beyond small ticket procurement and that's the issue. Nor has the Govt shown any interest in increasing R&D, weapons budgets to accelerate development and replace existing items. If anything budgets are under pressure and more is being carved out for pvt sector etc without accelerating existing programs.
My take on the situation - So that I set the record straight or get corrected (want to take the discussion a little deeper).

1. The IA, IN, IAF is at fault. Yes, they are doing mere lip service and token orders. Where the equipment is up to mark, the order is meager, where it is in development and good, goal post moved. Of course, there are other contributing factors - bad govt. development partners (slow and inefficient with questionable quality.
2. Is there a Chandigarh (or put a city of your choice) lobby? The one person who was determined to break this, his death was widely celebrated in open, you can only imagine what went in private. The intent of the people leading this is bad (rest doesn't matter, even if the weapon bought is great). Please keep in mind, last year 50% of cap budget of IAF and IA went unspent. The people responsible are willing to throw the country to dogs unless their choice of weapon is bought (and the reason is not that these weapons are great, that is just the excuse).
3. Can the government put more money towards R&D - It can, and that heading has seen a decent increase. Even a 5 times increase will not be sufficient - But here I want to draw attention to - the govt has done tremendous on few fronts 1) Increase efficiency of DRDO lab, make them answerable - 1 example - ADE becoming more answerable, changing methods. What took 15 years to go nowhere, has made very good development in last few years. 2) Change govt partners for DRDO to many private partners (Tata's, Kalyani, L&T and many msme, before only (or mainly) OFB and other govt agencies, could have partnered in proto development, bringing their inefficiency and hemming the r&d effort. 3) Bringing large private players in manufacturing 4)Encouraging MSME with r&d expense payment.
If I read right, govt has concluded that throwing more money at the current DRDO-OFB-DPSU setup is inefficient and will not get to where we need it to be. They have structurally tried to change that. Once this ecosystem is working (and hopefully delivering), more R&D dollars will make sense. With DRDO 50 labs and xyz manpower, there is only so much they can do. However, it does not explain why GOI will not release fund for LCAMK2, AMCA etc. publically (maybe in private they are committed and done outside of public glare).
Again, point to note - The Chandigarh lobby can still derail that.
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by g.sarkar »

https://www.wionews.com/india-news/russ ... dia-466036
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expected to visit India
Sidhant Sibal WION, New Delhi, Mar 27, 2022

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to visit India, a visit that comes amid global geopolitical turmoil amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The visit will be the first such high-level visit from Russia to India since February 24 when the invasion started. On the agenda will be many things, including trading under rupee- ruble mechanism that the Indian finance ministry is looking into amid western sanctions on Moscow.
The invasion has changed the global geopolitical calculus as the West and Russia are locked in horns. New Delhi has been engaged by both sides on the situation even as it has been able to display its strategic autonomy.
At the United Nations, India has abstained from votes on Ukraine-Russia resolutions, whether its West-backed resolutions or more recently Russia-backed resolution on Ukraine even as it has been calling for direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv. EAM Jaishankar in the Parliament said, "We have expressed deep concern at the worsening situation and called for immediate cessation of violence and end to all hostilities."
Both Indian and Russian foreign ministers had spoken to each other on February 24 and since then there has been Russian outreach to Delhi in many ways, including Russian FM Lavrov meeting envoys of BRICS countries including Indian envoy Pavan Kapoor.
.....
Gautam
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Cyrano »

Good to see you back Gautam saar, you seemed to be on a sabbatical ;)
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by g.sarkar »

Cyrano wrote:Good to see you back Gautam saar, you seemed to be on a sabbatical ;)
Cyrano Sir, I went to Kolkata for 3.5 months. No access to computer, kind of marooned due to Covid and stayed there for the duration. Kolkata reminded me of East Germany of my youth back in 1980s, it was just like under one party rule with SED. I need to write my experiences in BRF, but where?
Gautam
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Karan M »

fanne wrote:
Karan M wrote:They are refusing to change their behavior beyond small ticket procurement and that's the issue. Nor has the Govt shown any interest in increasing R&D, weapons budgets to accelerate development and replace existing items. If anything budgets are under pressure and more is being carved out for pvt sector etc without accelerating existing programs.
My take on the situation - So that I set the record straight or get corrected (want to take the discussion a little deeper).

1. The IA, IN, IAF is at fault. Yes, they are doing mere lip service and token orders. Where the equipment is up to mark, the order is meager, where it is in development and good, goal post moved. Of course, there are other contributing factors - bad govt. development partners (slow and inefficient with questionable quality.
2. Is there a Chandigarh (or put a city of your choice) lobby? The one person who was determined to break this, his death was widely celebrated in open, you can only imagine what went in private. The intent of the people leading this is bad (rest doesn't matter, even if the weapon bought is great). Please keep in mind, last year 50% of cap budget of IAF and IA went unspent. The people responsible are willing to throw the country to dogs unless their choice of weapon is bought (and the reason is not that these weapons are great, that is just the excuse).
3. Can the government put more money towards R&D - It can, and that heading has seen a decent increase. Even a 5 times increase will not be sufficient - But here I want to draw attention to - the govt has done tremendous on few fronts 1) Increase efficiency of DRDO lab, make them answerable - 1 example - ADE becoming more answerable, changing methods. What took 15 years to go nowhere, has made very good development in last few years. 2) Change govt partners for DRDO to many private partners (Tata's, Kalyani, L&T and many msme, before only (or mainly) OFB and other govt agencies, could have partnered in proto development, bringing their inefficiency and hemming the r&d effort. 3) Bringing large private players in manufacturing 4)Encouraging MSME with r&d expense payment.
If I read right, govt has concluded that throwing more money at the current DRDO-OFB-DPSU setup is inefficient and will not get to where we need it to be. They have structurally tried to change that. Once this ecosystem is working (and hopefully delivering), more R&D dollars will make sense. With DRDO 50 labs and xyz manpower, there is only so much they can do. However, it does not explain why GOI will not release fund for LCAMK2, AMCA etc. publically (maybe in private they are committed and done outside of public glare).
Again, point to note - The Chandigarh lobby can still derail that.
The current GOI has been in power for seven years. To my mind its become superfluous to blame lobbies and indisciplined/traitorous generals etc for everything.

Fact of the matter is we need systems in place beyond individuals and the directive from GOI to enforce it And then not releasing funds to drastically ramp up or accelerate R&D and production, and a directive to the forces to place order for domestic eqpt, and then claim forces are traitors for not doing so is pointless. Suppose they are willing to order 100 Mk2 and want them in five years. Has the program been funded to that level? Clearly not.

Fact is we can find Lakhs of Crores to give away to farmers as sops, but Rs 2500 Cr GaN fab remains unfunded. Jal Jeevan at tens of billions of dollars equivalent gets focus, but DRDO has to beg and plead for a budget increase at a mere fraction of that amount, whereas each of DRDO's programs gives domestic orders at many multiples invested and brings technology to the table.

There is a mindset issue here and its high time we at least on this forum stopped making excuses for the powers that be. A focus on social justice and electoral victories is essential but we can't ignore growth either, as we have.

Unfortunately, even this GOI has a huge blind spot when it comes to funding domestic R&D and military expansion.

Latter is seen as a wasteful spend and conflict is seen as something that can be "managed". Sadly Balakot and Galwan have lead to this perception being given more credence. If an actual all out fight breaks out though, we will be badly scarred and all the Internet posts we make defending this GOI will be for nought.

It seems to think handing over the responsibility for industrial growth and spending, to the much vaunted pvt sector will give it benefits for R&D too (it won't, as pvt sector is run on commercial not India specific, low/negative margin, indigenization benefit terms) or spending on the military can be "handled" by constantly seeking more with less.

And that's not happening either as the forces are currently in many respects at a real weak spot. The IAF is facing the greatest threat in its history and its squadron numbers are at the lowest. How long should we ignore this?

Every now and then on top of it, we brag of taking back territory for local political benefit. Our opponents take it very seriously and stuff like Galwan happens. Even if there is no outright conflict, what little kit we do possess is heavily flogged and will be due for replacement sooner than later.

Instead of addressing all these concerns openly, the data is not being reported now. For instance, we no longer have MODs Annual Reports being reported.

If the aim was to bulk up locally then the Mk1A should've been ordered early and its production accelerated. Instead there was no interest or focus in doing so. We purchased a mere 36 Rafales and acted as if the PAF/PLAAF would collapse in fright.

Yes, take credit for breaking the Rafale logjam but what was the aim of ordering so few airframes to begin with? The IAF reportedly asked for 54. Even that was cut down to 36. And given IAF budget restrictions, we could barely afford those and delayed all other acquisitions.

The belief in Delhi seems to be that a limited amount of incrementalism is enough to keep PRC/Pak at bay, social justice will keep winning elections and pvt sector will grow on its own. More tax money and so spend more on social justice. All is well.

The intent to build a big picture view of R&D, mfg and actually invest in making it happen as versus merely setting policy, is missing. That requires spending like what China is doing and there is no interest in finding those resources for capacity building. We aren't even doing a fraction of what they did, let alone what they are doing now. And what we do is driven at a pace that is stultifyingly slow.

And that's where China has a march on us and why the west continues to take us lightly, beyond cannon fodder for facing the PRC.

All the yoga day stuff doesn't compensate for the fact only 83 Tejas Mk1A are on order at drip feed rates, there are no confirmed orders for the Tejas Mk2 and DRDO remains under invested and under resourced.

We have similar gaps in literally every area, but can fund a statue to the order of $400Mn. This is the kind of stuff that allows us to be taken as non serious pretenders demanding respect when we have no sense of what power truly is.

The focus on big ticket PR friendly projects over actually making India into a tech heavy powerhouse able to stand and compete on its own terms is befuddling. And a welcome sign for all the powers who sell us tier 2 military eqpt.

Point being such projects get funds, but those that can drastically reduce our dependence on other countries, such as developing our own drugs or metallurgy get short thrift.

At best, tax breaks and offers of reducing red tape of firms from abroad set up shop in India. Tomorrow Vietnam offers an incrementally lower rate and they will get up and leave.

Add the fact we continue to have amongst the most unlivable urban metros, the electoral driven caste based allocations of everything from law and order equity to education to jobs, and its no surprise that our best and brightest will continue to emigrate and using that very same groups achievements, other countries offer them a better system, browbeat us, we have to kowtow to those who think of us as civilizational inferiors.

So and so headed this program. He is now in India to sell you junk fighter XXX, and BRF debates for pages and pages on how great it is or what are its rivals and newsmedia is all about how great our strategy is in buying weapons from every country under the sun.

Reminds me of a RK Laxman cartoon of a desi neta pointing to a country on a map and asking his aide "which is this country, why hasn't it given aid to us"?

We aren't that far from it yet, considering the way we buckled in Wave 2 (how many countries did we ask aid from again?) and how we ran abroad during Galwan asking for ammo and spares. This after Pathankot. Uri. Balakot. Lessons learnt?

Until and unless Delhi wakes up to the fact that industrial policy, capacity building matter and don't come on the cheap, things won't change. And I have been waiting for that change for seven years now, after waiting decades with those who never promised such stuff to begin with.

And all this lobby stuff is tiresome. Years in power and one can't handle a vested interest group despite owning all the reins of power? Simply put either we are not competent or we don't regard them as a threat. In which case why blame them for our lack of interest in hard power?
Manish_Sharma
BRF Oldie
Posts: 5128
Joined: 07 Sep 2009 16:17

Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Manish_Sharma »

Lavrov is coming!

Since Russia is under maximum sanctions, we can request them to test few of our new Thermonuclear designs. Since west has maxed out on imposing sanctions what has Russia to lose, we can buy loads of oil in return. Win win for both.
srin
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2509
Joined: 11 Aug 2016 06:13

Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by srin »

How rupee-ruble trade mechanism is shaping up
Last week, the Reserve Bank of India reportedly met with officials from three Russian financial institutions to discuss possible payment mechanisms that would enable trade between the two countries. The Russian institutions involved were VTB, Sberbank and Gazprombank. According to a financial daily, one of the options is a rupee-ruble trade mechanism. The idea calls for deeper engagement by Russian banks that have a presence in India in order to facilitate the trade. A banker told the financial daily that under such an arrangement, there might be no need for an Indian bank to play a nodal role, as UCO Bank did for trade between India and Iran after the US had imposed sanctions on the latter. So, how close are we to operationalising this mechanism? Federation of Indian Export Organisations President A Sakthivel told a news channel that the rupee-ruble trade mechanism could come as early as this week.
But I hope this doesn't happen
An official from an overseas bank told a financial daily that Chinese banks in India could be tapped for this. How would this work? The Russian bank would swap the rupees for renminbi from a Chinese bank branch in India. Unlike rupees, renminbi can be used by Russians. Meanwhile, the Chinese bank can use the rupees to buy dollars, as it does not face any sanctions.
Rahul M
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Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by Rahul M »

Karan, this needs to be posted in every relevant thread. Unfortunately getting very difficult to justify the apathy in decision making.
RaviB
BRFite
Posts: 261
Joined: 09 Jun 2020 14:32

Re: India-Russia: News & Analysis

Post by RaviB »

g.sarkar wrote:
Cyrano wrote:Good to see you back Gautam saar, you seemed to be on a sabbatical ;)
Cyrano Sir, I went to Kolkata for 3.5 months. No access to computer, kind of marooned due to Covid and stayed there for the duration. Kolkata reminded me of East Germany of my youth back in 1980s, it was just like under one party rule with SED. I need to write my experiences in BRF, but where?
Gautam
Gautam-ji, I think I would love to hear your stories. Meanwhile, I wonder if you have listened to this German podcast about the DDR, might awaken some childhood memories

https://www.staatsbuergerkunde-podcast.de/
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