Russia-India arms -- Part 1

MOSCOW, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- A concert in the 3,000-year-old Purana Qila, the Old Fort in Delhi, will be grandiose and full of symbolism -- a duet of a sitar and cello, balalaika, janglers, a chorus, a powerful laser show and water-screen effects. The symbols are obvious -- eternal India and eternal Russia in the technically sophisticated 21st century.

This phrase is missing a verb. Perhaps it would be appropriate to say that the two countries are restoring old contacts. True, they did not sever these contacts in the 1990s, but their nature changed a great deal. The Year of Russia in India, which starts on Feb. 12, when Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov arrives in India and the concert takes place, should not so much restore the old ties as give a powerful impetus to them.

The two countries are developing ties, but not without difficulties.

The Year of Russia in India actually began earlier, when Russia took part in the New Delhi Book Fair as a guest of honor. It was attended by many people looking for Russian books in English and Hindu.

The number of Russian-speaking people in India is smaller than in Vietnam -- an estimated 140,000 -- but the minimal estimate of 30,000 does not seem an exaggeration.

Moreover, in the 1990s Russian departments at universities were all but shut down, whereas now there is an obvious increase in the number of Indians who want to study Russian with the hope of finding a job either in Russia or in India.

There is at least one publishing house -- Zlatoust -- that is restoring, with great difficulty, the system of supplying Indians with Russian textbooks. But as for modern Russian literature in India, or Indian literature in Russia, the picture is rather gloomy, although both have an excellent market potential.

The Second Russian-Indian Forum on Trade and Investments, which will take place in New Delhi simultaneously with Zubkov's visit, will illustrate the status of business ties. Participants in the forum may even argue about the scale of bilateral trade. The Indian figures may differ substantially from the $4 billion usually quoted by Russia. Be it as it may, this is 10 times less than the relevant figure for Russia's trade with China or India's trade with China. In the meantime, the foreign trade of both countries is obviously on the upsurge.

Major mutual investments into energy projects in Russia and India seem to have better prospects. But the most important of them are far ahead, just like a final agreement on four additional nuclear reactors in Kudankulam.

Military contacts are a key field of cooperation. On the one hand, the sum of contracts signed in this sphere in 2007 is a record for bilateral relations. On the other hand, on the eve of several multibillion-dollar international tenders for arms supplies to India, the Indians are increasingly criticizing their Russian partners for high prices and unreliable supply of spare parts.

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Next: The complexities of Russian-Indian military-technical cooperation

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(Dmitry Kosyrev is a political commentator for RIA Novosti. This article is reprinted by permission of RIA Novosti. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.)

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(United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)