The Hindu : Ivanov visit: Focus likely on security, terrorism

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 19, 2004

International

International - India & World

Ivanov visit: Focus likely on security, terrorism

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, JAN. 18. The issues of security and terrorism are expected to top the agenda of Indo-Russian defence talks in Delhi this week.

The Russian Defence Minister, Sergei Ivanov, who arrives in India on Monday for a three-day visit to seal the Gorshkov deal, has voiced strong concern over the spread of weapons of mass destruction and pointed at Pakistan as a proliferation risk.

"The danger of WMD falling into the hands of irresponsible states or terrorists is emerging as the most serious threat in the 21st century," he told Indian mediapersons in Moscow today. Russia and India shared identical views on this problem, he said and made it clear that Moscow was aware of Islamabad's role in proliferation of nuclear technologies.

Russia was committed to deepening its strategic partnership with India and adding a trilateral dimension to it through cooperation with China. "Our strategic partnership with India is sewn from a rich fabric of converging geopolitical interests, cultural affinities and shared views on a multi-polar world order, international terrorism, as well as global and regional security," he said.

Trilateral cooperation

On the prospects for interaction in the Delhi-Moscow-Beijing triangle, Mr. Ivanov said he welcomed trilateral cooperation and hoped it would eventually extend to the sensitive defence sphere. "I would greet Russia-India-China cooperation in the military-technical sphere and in joint development of new weapons. This would promote stability and security in Asia," he said adding that the three nations would need to do a lot of political groundwork to make trilateral cooperation possible.

"Such cooperation can only come as a result of extensive political efforts by our countries. But I will not rule it out altogether. I share James Bond's principle `Never say never again'," said Mr. Ivanov, who made a successful career in the foreign intelligence service, rising to the rank of general.

He ruled out the possibility that Russian defence supplies to China could threaten India's security saying, "Russia strictly adheres to the principle that the weapons it supplies to other countries must not have a destabilising effect and be of defensive nature."

Russia is wooing India and China to join it in the ambitious and costly project of building a fifth generation multi-role warplane. Russia and India had already held talks and defined common approaches to this project, Mr. Ivanov said and cited the jointly built BrahMos cruise missile as an example of the new trend in the bilateral defence ties.

"I expect our two countries to move from a buyer-seller relationship to joint development of futuristic weapons in the years to come."

Recalling last year's Indo-Russian naval manoeuvres in the Indian Ocean, the first in 10 years, he said joint wargames would continue and expand to other sectors of the armed forces, including the air force.

Referring to India's involvement in upgrading a military airfield in Tajikistan for use by the IAF, Mr. Ivanov said Moscow shared a common view with Delhi on the problems of Central Asia and "welcomes any participation of India in extending assistance to former Soviet states."

During his first official visit to India as Defence Minister, Mr. Ivanov will meet the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, and hold wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart, George Fernandes, the External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, and the National Security Adviser, Brajesh Mishra.

Mr. Ivanov said his visit was not linked to the work of the Indo-Russian commission for military-technical cooperation, revealing for the first time the name of Russia's new co-chairman of the commission, the Deputy Prime Minister, Boris Alyoshin, who oversees the defence industry.

Mr. Alyoshin, whose appointment is yet to be announced in Moscow, takes over from Ilya Klebanov, who left the Government several months ago.

Mr. Ivanov's visit deserve close attention as he is one of the most influential Russian leaders and a trusted confidante of the President, Vladimir Putin, famous for making statements that go far beyond his Ministry's responsibilities.

Analysts expect Mr. Ivanov to rise higher in the Russian hierarchy and maybe succeed Mr. Putin in 2008 when he completes two presidential terms allowed under the Constitution.

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Ivanov visit: Focus likely on security, terrorism