Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
2. The India-Russia relationship has been marked by stability, trust, and strategic cooperation over the years. However, like any longstanding partnership, it has also encountered challenges and adaptations in response to shifts in the geopolitical landscape. Critically analyse. (250 words)
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the need to have a change in India-Russia dynamic relations due to recent geopolitical developments.
Directive word:
Critically analyze – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a balanced judgment on the topic.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context of ‘all weather’ friendship between India and Russia.
Body:
In the first part, Highlight the strength of the relationship – Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, cold war era friendship, the long history, defence partnership, nuclear power plants etc.
Next, bring out the issues in the relationship by dividing them into geopolitical, geostrategic and at bilateral level – Ukraine Issue, Russia-Pakistan, Russia-China, and USA-India, Changes in Afghanistan and issues emanating from them.
Discuss how should India and Russia navigate the tides moving forward.
Conclusion:
Conclude by commenting on their current nature of evergreen friendship.
