TIGHTROPE WALKING IS an acquired skill demanding years of practice and India’s abilities in this regard, as it balances its strategic relationships with Russia and the United States, are being severely tested by the Ukraine conflict. As the conflict intensifies and is brought closer home with the unfortunate death of an Indian student and growing difficulties for thousands more, there is no certainty how long this tightrope may have to extend, or how our official stance may evolve.
To recapitulate, India has so far taken—in carefully-crafted statements at the UN Security Council— what appears to be a balanced and even-handed stand; our fortuitous presence at the horseshoe table as a non-permanent member results in both a greater prominence for and a closer examination of our position. While these statements have predictably called for diplomatic dialogue, de-escalation of violence and a settlement on the basis of the Minsk Agreements, they have been perceived to contain a nuanced tilt towards Russia. Expressed in diplomatic shorthand, this tilt lies in our refusal to name Russia as the aggressor, a repeated reference to “legitimate security interests” of all states and a reluctance to categorise the developments as anything beyond “violence and hostilities”. While these statements have grown sharper with the spiralling of the situation into a full-blown conflict, the tightrope has held in essence, culminating in India’s abstention on the crucial draft resolution tabled on February 26 that sought to deplore Russian aggression.
Denne historien er fra March 13, 2022-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 13, 2022-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Trump And The Crisis Of Liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
