By Dr. Sawraj Singh
India is now learning the difference between a friend and master. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, India switched sides and tried to be America’s friend. However, after about 20 years of dealing with America, India is now beginning to understand that America’s arrogance does not allow it to be anybody’s friend, it can only be a master. Friendship can only be among equals. When someone is so arrogant and believes that he is the best, then there can be no friendship. Arrogance makes one look at others as inferiors and slaves.
After the bitter experience with America, India is now rediscovering a true friend: Russia. India is finding out that it has only one time-tested and reliable friend, Russia. America is putting a lot of pressure on India to abandon Russia. However, this time India is standing firm on its stand that it will not join American efforts to contain Russia. As long as Russia and India remain great friends, there is no possibility of China and India fighting another war. General Vikram Singh, the retiring Indian Army Chief, has said that there is no chance of an India-China war. India does not want to join American efforts to contain China. America wants India to support its policy of containing Russia and China.
America sees Russia and China as the biggest challengers to its hegemony. However, India sees them as potential allies for reforming and changing the American and western-led unipolar world order to a multipolar world. India is realizing that the present global institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Trade Organization (WTO), and United Nations (UN) were created with only one purpose in mind, that is, to preserve and maintain western domination and hegemony. For example, in the WTO meeting just held in Geneva, India’s differences with America came to the surface. On the issue of farm subsidies, the interests of developed and developing countries clash. America rebuked India for its stand in the WTO.
India is very unhappy with America because it spies on Indian leaders such as BJP’s Nitin Gadkari. India questioned America’s claim to be India’s friend while it is spying on Indian leaders. India feels that friends should not spy on each other. However, America’s definition of friendship is different than India’s definition. For America, friendship means that the other side should do what America wants them to do, while America is free to do whatever it wants to do. This type of relationship can be more appropriately described as a master-slave relation rather than a relation between friends. When India looks at its relations with Russia, then the contrast between the two relations becomes even more obvious. With Russia, India has a true friendly relation.
At present, there are two very important international issues which show that America applies gross double standards. These are the issues of Palestine and Ukraine. On the issue of conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians, the whole world sees Israel as an aggressor. However, while making empty threats, America has assured Israel of uninterrupted weaponry supplies. America even opposed the UN resolution criticizing Israel for the aggression. In Ukraine, America is pushing Europe and the rest of the world very hard to punish Russia, even though America has played a much bigger role in destabilizing that country. America incited a coup there and overthrew a democratically elected government. America has effectively blocked any chance of reconciliation between the two sides and any chance of peaceful resolution of the conflict. The American policy seems to be to let Ukraine go into a state of complete chaos and anarchy and then blame Russia for it. America did not like the growing economic relations between European countries such as Germany and France with Russia. The Ukraine conflict has strained relations between the European countries and Russia.
India has a different stand on both of the issues. India supports the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people while maintaining good relations with Israel. India does not believe that Russia is responsible for the present crisis in Ukraine. India also feels that Russia is being victimized by America and the West for their ulterior motives. India has stood up for Russia this time.
India’s stand on Ukraine will go a long way to redress Russia’s grievances that India did not stand up for its friend when America and the West brought the Soviet Union down. Russia felt that it always stood up for India, but India let it down in its hour of need. This time, India seems to have learned from its past mistake and has also tried to correct it. This happened because India has learned the difference between a friend and a master. After its bitter experience of trying to be America’s friend, India has realized that Russia is its only true friend. India seems to have rightly raised its priority of reviving its traditional friendship with Russia. We hope that America may also learn the meaning of friendship from India and Russia.
Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is the Chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and Chairman of the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice. He can be reached at [email protected].
