For India, the affordability of Russian military equipment comes with lower quality and coercive leverage, and that price is too high. The solution is to diversify towards suppliers such as the US. Signalling this intention at the coming Quad meeting would make clear to the world India’s implicit criticism of Russia.
Years of debt accumulation, policy missteps – including a failed experiment in organic farming – and ill-conceived infrastructure projects built with Chinese funds have led Sri Lanka to the edge of catastrophe.
While the restraint of the Pakistani military following the incident is admirable, the two nuclear-armed neighbours can do more to strengthen confidence-building measures.
Despite India’s steady drift into the US orbit, Russia remains a vital relationship for New Delhi as it seeks arms sales and strategic balance. Agreements on trade, investment and security cooperation in addition to arms deals show the relationship still has room for growth.
Critics of Biden’s decision are many, but when it comes to defining ‘victory’ and how it might be accomplished, they have no clear answer. Given the high cost and death toll, it is hard to justify a prolonged campaign.
The hesitance comes from concerns over impinging strategic military interests, and a worry criticism will move Naypyidaw closer to China.
Beijing’s misgivings about New Delhi’s actions in Kashmir last year are part of the story, but a number of other factors are also at play, says Sumit Ganguly.
