Indo-Soviet Relations
Q.
India had signed in August, 1975 a treaty of friendship, peace and co-operation with the U.S.S.R. In what way were our relations with the Soviet Union strengthened during your tenure? You had visited the U.S.S.R. twice in 1976 — in June for very nearly a week, and again on your way to add back from Mongolia in September. Further, the Soviet and Socialist leaders had visited India and you had the opportunity of meeting them. Could you amplify your views on our relations with the Soviet and Socialist leaders in the context of world powers?
A.
When India's relations are discussed in the world assemblies, one very important geo-political situation which is forgotten is that the Soviet Union is a part of both Europe and Asia. India and the Soviet Union have very close racial affinity as in the Asian region of the Soviet Union the life-style of the people is in more ways than one similar to that of the people in India. The folklore and oral literary traditions in these Soviet republics and the Asian countries bear close resemblance to those in India. It is therefore natural for us to regard the Soviet Union as one of our close neighbours, as it indeed is.
The Soviet people, in accordance with their own genius, have designed a system of government. India has also designed its own system of government. This never has, and I think never will, imperil the wide range of co-operation between the two countries. The Soviet Union has invariably supported India's vital national interests, and whenever we have run into heavy weather they have stood by us. In turn, we also co-operated with them in many areas of world problems where we have An independent view. But this mutual friendship and co-operation were in the context of peace, and never at the expense of relations with any other country.
You have mentioned about my visits to the Soviet Union. Starting from 1964, I have visited Soviet Union more than half-a-dozen times. I have visited that country in my different capacities, as Defense Minister, as Finance Minister and as Foreign Minister. During all these visits, in the course of discussions with the leaders and informal chat with the people. I have found genuine bond of friendship between India and the Soviet Russia. During my period as Minister of External Affairs, I visited the Soviet Union along with the Prime Minister for a summit meeting. Besides giving our assessment of the world situation, we discussed our mutual problems of co-operation in the economic and technical fields. I have always found that they are basically responsive because there is an understanding of India's political and economic issues by the leaders of the Soviet Union.
My second visit during my tenure as Foreign Minister was when I visited Mongolia. On my way to Mongolia I stopped for a day in Soviet Russia, when I had very friendly and useful discussions with the Foreign Minister, Andrei Gromyko.