India refuses to join America driven economic sanctions against Russia

Lakshmana Venkat Kuchi *

There has been some debate over the neutral and non-aligned stand of India in the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, which is drawing severe criticism in the Western World. This of course is perfectly understandable from the Western perspective, to rubbish India whenever it took a decision independently for its own interests.

What the world fails to appreciate is that India’s non-aligned world perspective dates back to the founding of the Nation, when the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru argued out India’s case for taking a non-aligned stand when Soviet Union invaded Hungary in the mid-fifties.

In fact, India’s position and perspective of international relations and its world view has not changed much over the years. If only it got progressively more assertive, best represented by a strong muscular image a confident India today presents.

In the process, India stands in a unique position to play the peacemaker, if the world so desired, because of its friendly relations with both the sides. And, in fact, Ukraine has appealed to India to use its good offices to try and bring peace in the region, which India strongly advocates.

Ukraine sought out India in the role of a peacemaker they trust, even as the Russian invasion begins to rewrite the existing world order. Ukraine President Zelenskyy had appealed for help from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, even after India remained neutral in the ongoing war.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly advocated a peaceful resolution of any issues between the two Nations through negotiations. Even Russia also suggests Indian can play the role of a mediator amid hectic parleys between different players in the global arena. In fact, New Delhi had become a key hub of international diplomacy with representatives of different countries converging on the National capital in the last ten days.

Yes Prime Minister Modi re-branded India’s global image and rewrote the country’s foreign policy with a tilt toward the United States with increasing cooperation in different fields. But still, the steadfastly neutral stand of India conveys India’s intentions of not to get sucked into the overall US gameplay in global politics, which perhaps explains much of the US criticism of India.

India’s move towards the US, when seen from its National interests, is with an intent to prevent China from flexing its muscles in Asia Pacific region. But by ignoring American threats of even sanctions if India did business with Russia, India has shown that it can stand up to anyone in the world.

And this when viewed in the backdrop of the important foreign visitors to the country makes it clear that India counts for more than many give it credit for. The visitors include Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, US Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, Israeli PM Naftali Bennet, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

America would much love to see India distance itself from Russia, but much to the chagrin of the sole global Supercop that American feels that it is, so far India has remained unimpressed. The US wants India to drop its oil imports and other trade with Russia, which go to help the Russian economy that the US imposed and driven economic sanctions against Russia hurt.

American Deputy National Security Advisor Singh cautioned India against enhancing ties with Moscow and threatened that India would run the risk of being caught up in the web of secondary sanctions if it does business with Russia.

America’s advice that it should rethink its position as Russia would not be coming in to help India if there was trouble from China fell on deaf ears. On this, India has stuck to its traditional stand against misuse of power, anywhere it has occurred whether by the West or even by Russia, as Indian position on Soviet invasion of Hungary in the mid-fifties.

Or take invasion of Iraq, which too was wrong and also it did not have the backing of UNSC. US had with the support of European Nations, including Ukraine invaded Iraq, which was wrong then and is as wrong as now when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Why the ongoing Ukraine was and India’s stand becomes important is that it is rewiring a new geo-political order for the world. And more importantly than this, it could be laying the foundations of a new international economic order, in which India may have an increasing say or influence.

Perhaps this could be the reason that the US wants India on its team in its economic offensive against Russia today. If the American dollar comes under pressure, when Russia had challenged its global hegemony of US and its currency. The US dollar is now under steady challenge of China and Asia.

Our stand on trade with Russia has sent out a signal to the world that India will continue to maintain its own independent course on issues of its interests – trade being one of them. Why, even some of the closest of US allies have refused to condemn Russian invasion but refuse to impose sanctions on Russia. Even Turkey, a NATO member refused to participate in sanctions against Russia, and is in fact trying to mediate between the two countries.

Incidentally China will also not play by American rules and even Japan and South Korea will be continuing trade with Russia and will not abide by the America-driven sanctions.

But, as everyone can see, the mighty power that the US is witnessing the blunting of its ability to retain its imperial power in the world though it remains the world’s pre-eminent power. But its ability to shape the geopolitics of the world is getting diminished, as the events surrounding Ukraine war seem to indicate. The US, clearly wants to see a weakened and isolated Russia, which India would not like.