There are on social media many posts about how the USSR supported India in its hour of need when due to Cold War politics America and the West did not. And how India could rely on Russia’s veto on Indian internal matters such as Kashmir. And of course, India has two nuclear enemies over each shoulder – Pakistan and China. It can do without an unhinged third in Russia. We get that. Not happy about it but get it. Indians don’t trust anyone. And that is understandable given the various accidents of history.
Plus, India gets so much defence arms from Russia. I was in the room when Mandelson tried to sell British post-Mumbai attacks and on Newsnight when India went with French not British. So, I know what I want and get India’s reliance on keeping Russia sweet and not needing a Putin headache. The thing about conflicts beginning in Europe is they always have a habit of bringing the world into taking sides eventually.
But let me explain in Indian terms what Russia is doing in Ukraine. It would be like an Indian politician from the extreme right giving this speech – I’ve made it rambling to sound more like Putin.
“We the peoples of India can no longer tolerate the treatment of ethnic Indians and minorities in Pakistan. These were all people of Indian origin anyway. They now are being ethnically cleansed and the history of India removed from Pakistan.
We also think the country is an invention of Jinnah. It is not a real country. It is artificial. Anyway, who were the British to claim to create it? They were here illegally so under the UN charter Pakistan does not exist.
For all these reasons we order Indian troops to go into Pakistan to disarm it. In any event, it is often taken over by undemocratic governments and military junta. They do not look after minorities, indeed target them, and these are minorities who want to be part of India, are ethnically Indian. They have been converted away.
By these actions, we are saving India from a bigger war in the future. Plus, we believe they intend to move nuclear missiles into Kashmir occupied territory.
They are shelling India and shelling people of Indian origin. They have wanted to remove all remnants of Hindustan. Including the language. They are removing teaching Indian history and the Indian language. So again, we have every right to bring Pakistan into India and prevent future wars.
Moreover, Pakistan is forming alliances with China. This is a threat to India. They also gave the territory to China in Kashmir, which is Indian territory. In every way, they are de-Indianising Pakistan. We warned them and China not to build a belt and road and station military so close to us. But they with China attack and encroach. So, India has to bring Pakistan into India and rid it of its corrupt government.”
Now, believe me, some numpty is going to think this is a manifesto. But this is what in the Indian context is happening between Russia and Ukraine. It’s outrageous what Russia is doing as much as if an Indian Prime Minister gave the above speech.
