“How come the Patriots took down the Kinzhal missiles that were touted as invincible? How come Russian ships are becoming such easy targets from a country that doesn’t have a navy? Its spy planes such as A-50s, and fighter jets such as Sukhois have been downed so effectively,” Rao told POLITICO.
India’s air force has been long dominated by Russian jets, but as the country now plans to revamp and procure over a 100 new multirole fighter aircraft, it isn’t even considering a Russian bid. Meanwhile, defense ties with the U.S. are strengthening — even if both sides are still grappling with deep-rooted mistrust.
For example, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the White House last year, U.S. President Joe Biden signed off on an agreement allowing General Electric to transfer engine technology to India to power its new stream of fighter jets.
And yet, given the long-standing mistrust between Washington and New Delhi, due to the U.S.’s defense sales in the past to Pakistan and its reluctance to share defense technology with India, France is emerging as India’s new favorite. New Delhi is still doubtful the U.S. will even share the engine technology it promised. Meanwhile, the U.S. still worries about the risk of critical technology ending up in Russia’s hands via India
France, on the other hand, is seen as keener to co-produce and easier to work with, and isn’t plagued by a cumbersome legislative process to sell weapons and transfer technology either. And with India’s recent purchase of 26 Rafale fighter jets, France has already become the second biggest exporter in the country.
“France is the new Russia, and much more than that,’’ Rao said. Additionally, according to defense experts, India also plans to grow defense trade with Israel and South Korea, and is considering German and Spanish companies for a new submarine.
Despite all this, India will still nurture its relations with Russia, even amid the decline in defense imports. China and Russia’s ever-warming relations worry India, and it will want to keep Moscow as a friend. And with nearly 65 percent of Indian hardware — helicopters, tanks and fighter jets included — originally sourced from Russia, the country can’t wean itself off all imports overnight.
Still, from nearly single-handedly arming India’s defense forces in the 1960s, Russia has now been demoted to being just one of many defense partners — an unexpected loss for Russia’s military-industrial complex, primarily due to President Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine invasion.
