By Sawraj Singh
The biggest achievement of the just concluded BRICS summit in Goa was the revival of Russia- India friendship. This will promote peace and stability in Asia and the world. Russia and India together can change the equations of power between the east and the west toward restoring the balance of power in the world. In the last two centuries, this equation has been heavily tilted to the west resulting in western domination and its offshoot, American hegemony. This imbalance is the main cause of turmoil and instability in the world. Once the three major countries of the east; Russia, China and India come together then they can correct the imbalance and promote peace and harmony in the world. Russia has been India's most trusted and time tested friend. Western countries always tried to weaken and contain India. British colonialists partitioned India and created an artificial country, Pakistan, with two parts East and West Pakistan separated by a thousand miles of Indian Territory. Except for weakening and containing India, such an unnatural country had no other relevance. The Bengalis of East Pakistan had nothing in common with the Punjabis of West Pakistan except both were Muslims. By this token, there should be only one country for the Muslims of the whole world. Even the Arabs, who have lot more common than the Bengalis and the Punjabis, have many separate countries.
Finally, with the Russian help, India was able to dismember the artificial country and at least two more natural countries, Bangladesh and Pakistan came in to existence. Whereas, the Bengalis were happy to be free from the Punjabis, the Punjabis seemed equally happy to get rid of them. However, many Punjabis in Pakistan have not gotten rid of their artificiality. They disown their mother tongue and keep claiming that Urdu is their mother tongue. They still subscribe to the British false propaganda that Punjabi is the language of the Sikhs. Some Punjabi lovers in Pakistan complain that they have been accused of being agents of the Sikhs. The British used every issue they could to divide the people. In Punjab they used language to divide the Punjabis which ultimately led to the partition of India. They incited the wrong feelings that Punjabi was the language of the Sikhs, Urdu was language of the Muslims and Hindi was language of the Hindus. The fact is that Punjabi was language of the Punjabis long before the Sikh religion came into existence.
Deep down, the West has never trusted India. It has always considered India as a potential adversary. Even Obama has called India and China American competitors. America and other Western countries have never trusted India with their advanced technology or weaponry. Compared to this Russia has always given its best weaponry and technology to India. Russia is giving its most sophisticated missiles, the S- 400. It is also giving India its most advanced nuclear submarines, the Akula-2. Russia has helped India to develop its technology, including nuclear technology.
Besides, S-400 missiles and Akula-2 nuclear submarines, Russia is giving many other advanced weapons and technology to India. Some of these are; Sukhoi SU-30 MKI super fighter jets, Mig 35 to replace 200 Mig21 and Mig27 planes and Kamov-28 helicopters. Russia is also giving four multiple purpose frigates equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. Russia and India will jointly develop the 5th generation fighter air crafts (FGFA) and Kamov Ka-226 light helicopters. Russia is also developing radio electronic weapons and may share their technology with India. Even today, in the field of advanced weaponry, Russia continues to hold the lead. Same is true of the nuclear war heads. Russia has the largest stockpile of those in the world. Russia will continue to help with the completion of the unit three and the unit four at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.
Russia and India share concerns about terrorism because both are victims of Islamic terrorism which America and the western countries have generated and continue to use against their adversaries. Compared to the American and western hypocrisy and double standards on the issue of terrorism, Russia is actively and sincerely fighting Islamic terrorism in Syria.
Reviving Russia-India friendship will be very beneficial for maintaining peace in Asia as well as in the world. Having Russia on our side will keep a check on China and Pakistan. China and Russia need each other for their survival. If they do not stick together then America and the West will finish them both. Therefore, they cannot afford to go against each other. Similarly, Pakistan needs China on its side for its survival and cannot afford to go against China. As long as Russia and India are friends, peace in Asia is almost guaranteed. Prime Minister Modi has rightly realized the importance of Russia as a friend when he said that one old friend is better than two new friends.
Russia-India friendship will also go a long way in maintaining peace in the world. As long as Russia and China are together the west does not have the human resources to fight them. India is the only country which can provide the population base to start a major war against them. Without India it looks inconceivable that the west can start a Third World War.
Russia, India and China are the three major countries of the East, in spite of their differences, they all share common concerns and goals .All three are getting short end of the deal. The existing global institutions are all controlled and dominated by the west. These institutions need to be replaced with the new institutions based upon the principles of equality and fairness. Instead of a western dominated unipolar world all three countries want a multipolar world where relations between the east and the west are based upon equality and mutual respect. Sawraj Singh M.D. F.I.C.S.
Chairman, Washington State Network for Human Rights
Chairman, Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice