From my first hand experience when I visited last year, nearly everyone I spoke to had a hard time acknowledging there was anything wrong with what they saw as Russia reclaiming land that was rightfully theirs. There was often outright admiration for Putin for being brave enough to put the interest of his nation first and telling the West to go swivel.
No coincidence that India has similar feelings towards several of its own neighbours and parts of Kashmir are not too dissimilar to Crimea.
The reaction would be very different if China ever did the same in Taiwan though, because… reasons.
India’s neutrality is due to several factors all aligning in the same direction:-
We need wheat, fertilisers and oil from Russia.
Most Indians, across the political spectrum, have a positive view of Russia due to all the things they did for us during the Cold War. Most Indians wouldn’t know what a Ukraine is.
The Ukrainian police (and many citizens) attacked Indian students and workers trying to leave the country when the war began. They were also accused of using Indians and Africans as human shields. Ukraine and NATO are also supporting the Gaza genocide.
(I’m guessing there is also some schadenfreude, at least among some people, at seeing a European country getting colonised by a semi-Asian one.)
Also, India has a one-China policy and does not usually comment on the internal affairs of other countries.
No they aren’t. They absolutely aren’t. What we are doing in Kashmir is nothing short of colonisation. India is as imperialistic as the west is/was. It’s just that we’re terrible at it.
India should probably have given more aid to the Ukrainian people, and helped broker ceasefires or humanitarian pauses. But to destroy our relationship with Russia would be risking famine and economic collapse (see how the significantly richer EU has suffered from lack of oil).
Ironic you mention that Ukraine was unfair to Indians when the Russians are literally kidnapping them and forcing them to work.
The first happened two years ago; the second has only come to light recently. If the Russian state is found to have been complicit in the latter, public opinion will doubtless change.
From my first hand experience when I visited last year, nearly everyone I spoke to had a hard time acknowledging there was anything wrong with what they saw as Russia reclaiming land that was rightfully theirs. There was often outright admiration for Putin for being brave enough to put the interest of his nation first and telling the West to go swivel.
No coincidence that India has similar feelings towards several of its own neighbours and parts of Kashmir are not too dissimilar to Crimea.
The reaction would be very different if China ever did the same in Taiwan though, because… reasons.
Oh Thanks and Yep, You are right reaction would be different if China ever did something to its neighbour I know my country pretty well.
India’s neutrality is due to several factors all aligning in the same direction:-
We need wheat, fertilisers and oil from Russia.
Most Indians, across the political spectrum, have a positive view of Russia due to all the things they did for us during the Cold War. Most Indians wouldn’t know what a Ukraine is.
The Ukrainian police (and many citizens) attacked Indian students and workers trying to leave the country when the war began. They were also accused of using Indians and Africans as human shields. Ukraine and NATO are also supporting the Gaza genocide.
(I’m guessing there is also some schadenfreude, at least among some people, at seeing a European country getting colonised by a semi-Asian one.)
Also, India has a one-China policy and does not usually comment on the internal affairs of other countries.
All this tells me is that Indians’ objection to colonisation is that they weren’t the ones doing it.
There is definitely a section that feels this way, at least with regards to the UK. Fortunately, there are a small minority (for now).
No they aren’t. They absolutely aren’t. What we are doing in Kashmir is nothing short of colonisation. India is as imperialistic as the west is/was. It’s just that we’re terrible at it.
From India’s point of view, we like cheap imports.
That’s why we stay neutral.
Complicity in Ukraining genocide for cheaper wheat and oil.
Ironic you mention that Ukraine was unfair to Indians when the Russians are literally kidnapping them and forcing them to work
https://indiawest.com/india-acting-against-those-who-sent-youth-to-fight-for-russia/
India should probably have given more aid to the Ukrainian people, and helped broker ceasefires or humanitarian pauses. But to destroy our relationship with Russia would be risking famine and economic collapse (see how the significantly richer EU has suffered from lack of oil).
The first happened two years ago; the second has only come to light recently. If the Russian state is found to have been complicit in the latter, public opinion will doubtless change.