NEW DELHI: India’s neutral stance against the Russian invasion of Ukraine is benefiting New Delhi, analysts have said, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s arrival on Sunday marks the latest high-profile visit to the Indian capital amid the ongoing war.
Von der Leyen’s trip came days after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to India, which are both officials’ first visit to the South Asian country since assuming their respective roles in 2019.
India, which also hosted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier this month, has been facing mounting pressure from Western countries to drop its neutral stance and join in condemning Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
Though the war will feature in Von der Leyen’s discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, analysts said the UK premier’s earlier visit showed how India is reaping gains as the West actively works to pull it away from Russia.
Sujata Ashwarya, of the New Delhi-based Jamia Millia Islamia University, said India’s stance on the war in Europe is keeping it “at the center of geopolitics.”
“The West is desperate to keep India on the democratic side ... What it does have is a geopolitical impact on the world,” she told Arab News.
“India could benefit from the Ukraine-related ‘gold rush’ for Western arms manufacturers.”
Johnson’s visit had concluded with a bilateral agreement to scale up defense cooperation, while the US said it would work with India to help the country move away from its traditional reliance on Russian weapons.
“However, none of this sounds appealing or sustainable,” Ashwarya added. “International relations based solely on expediency are doomed to fail ... India must consider its values and interests. These issues necessitate careful deliberation.”
As over half of India’s military hardware comes from Russia, its dependence on Moscow for defense equipment plays a part in its geopolitical stance. Sanjay Kapoor, chief editor of the political magazine Hard News, said the country’s defence preparedness is “critical” due to its “hostile neighbors in Pakistan and China.”
“India is benefiting from this situation where so many emissaries of Western powers are trying to woo India to ensure that it remains part of the Indo-Pacific alliance and the four-nation Quad,” Kapoor told Arab News, referring to the group of countries comprising the US, India, Australia and Japan.
“It seems India has been able to convince the US and the West that their interest is better served in the
Indo-Pacific if India is militarily capable of defending itself from a hegemonistic China,” Kapoor added.
As for the EU chief’s visit to India, matters of bilateral relations related to “enriching partnership which has great untapped potential” should be expected, according to Anil Trigunayat, India’s former ambassador to Jordan, Libya and Malta.
The European Commission said in a statement that climate change, energy and connectivity will also feature in Von der Leyen’s discussions with Modi, which are expected to take place on Monday.
“India remains the fastest-growing major economy, second-largest market and largest democracy and has built up good relationships with most countries,” Trigunayat told Arab News.
“It does not believe in a zero-sum game.”
