Russia has been rated the most important strategic partner of India followed by the United States and France, the Foundation for National Security Research (FNSR) — a private thinktank on national security — has concluded. In a report titled “India’s Strategic Partners: A Comparative Assessment”, the FNSR assessed the performance of six strategic partners — Russia, the US, France, Britain, Germany and Japan — and evaluated them on a scale of 90. The assessment was conducted based on three variables — defence, economic and political cooperation. The parameters included both past performance as well as future potential.

Of the six countries assessed, Russia received the maximum of 62 points (out of a scale of 90), while the US was not far behind with 58 points. France was third with 51 points. Britain, Germany and Japan finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. So far, as defence cooperation was concerned, Russia bagged 24 points (out of a scale of 30) while the US was in second position with 18 points. France finished a close third with 17 points.
Incidentally, the FNSR’s governing body is headed by former foreign secretary M. Rasgotra, while its members include former IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi and former IIT (Chennai) director Prof. P.V. Indiresan. The assessment was carried out by a group of experts headed by FNSR director and former professor of diplomacy at JNU, Prof. Satish Kumar. The group of experts also included former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal.
“Russia emerges as the most important strategic partner of India. It has given us strong political and diplomatic support and helped us enormously in building our defence capability. But the economic content of the partnership is extremely weak,” the report has concluded. “A strategic partnership between India and Russia exists since 2000. ...Russia has consistently taken a pro-India stand on most issues and has been most comfortable with India’s rise,” the report states. “On Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kashmir (issue) and (the issue of) terrorism, Russia’s support to India has been forthright and consistent,” it adds. The report notes that the defence acquisitions from Russia include an aircraft carrier, a nuclear-powered submarine and fighter aircraft for the IAF and Indian Navy. India has historically used Russian equipment predominantly so far in its armed forces due to the close ties with the former Soviet Union.
“The United States is a strong competitor with Russia and is currently the second-most important partner. But the US has been very lackadaisical in providing political and diplomatic support to India on vital issues,” the report states. “India and the US entered into a strategic partnership in 2004. ...On issues such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, terrorism and Kashmir, the US support to India has been insubstantial and inconsistent,” the report states. “Of late, frustrated with the inadequacy and insincerity of Pakistan’s anti-terror operations in “Af-Pak”, the US has become more demanding of Pakistan in this respect and this may have a positive fallout for India,” the report says, while noting that the US has shown sensitivity to India’s position on the Kashmir issue that it is a bilateral one.
Referring to both past and impending defence acquisitions from the US that includes military transport aircraft for the IAF, howitzer guns for the Army and naval maritime reconnaissance aircraft, the report says, “The US remains a favoured potential supplier for not only hardware but critical military technologies which India requires...”.
On France, the report describes French diplomatic and political support to India as “valuable” and refers to defence deals such as the upgrades for the IAF’s (French-origin) Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft. It may be recalled that India has also declared the French Dassault company as the preferred bidder recently for the estimated $18 billion MMRCA deal for acquisition of 126 fighter aircraft. The report has called for deepening of the strategic partnership between India and France.