Tag Archives: Russia

World

Joe Biden is no friend of India

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Lalit Shastri

Joe Biden with Democratic vice presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, who is an American of part-Indian lineage

Joe Biden is no friend of India and the Indian Americans or Americans with ancestry from India should know this as they go to elect the next US President on 3 November 2020.

For over three decades, to be precise in the ’90s of the last Century, when the US had proposed a $24 Billion aid package for Russia when it’s economy had gone into a spin, democrat senator Joe Biden had put in an amendment to the effect that if Russia sold the cryogenic engine to India, the US aid package would be buried.

Los Angeles Times had reported in May 1992 that a key Senate committee had voted to block further U.S. economic aid to former super power Russia if Moscow went ahead with a $250-million rocket sale to India.

Joe Biden, who had started the amendment, is on record stating:“I am confident that the Russian leaders will recognize the wisdom of stopping this sale once they see the risk of losing their economic aid.” This is no minor sale; this is dangerous, he had added.

The amendment in question was passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by unanimous 19-0 vote by adding several new conditions to President Bush’s proposal for $24 billion in international assistance to Russia.

Los Angeles Times had also reported in 1992 that due to Russia’s rocket deal with India, in which Moscow’s state-owned space firm, Glavkosmos, was selling a long-range rocket to the Indian Space Research Organization, the US State Department banned U.S. dealings with both the Russian firm and ISRO.

The amendment by Biden was against India’s interest as it coincided with India’s efforts to acquire the Cryogenic engine from Russia. India at that time was trying to put it’s space programme at another level by advancing from the PSLVs to GSLVs.

Acting under the US pressure, Russia scrapped the ongoing Cryogenic engine deal with India as it badly needed the US aid package.

This was the time when China also was buying technology from Russia as if in scrap and Biden, along with the US, had chosen to look the other way.

‘It’s an entirely a different story how India, after having been pushed back several years vis-a-vis its space programme, courtesy Joe Biden, managed to carry forward its GSLV programme.

India, World

India, Russia review Defence ties

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Newsroom24x7 Network

Union Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh laying wreath at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Indian Embassy, Moscow on June 23, 2020.
  • Indian and Russian Defence Ministers discuss international security and military cooperation
  • Russia will take forward ongoing Defence contracts in a shorter time

Moscow: India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, after reviewing Indo-Russion defence relationship with Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Yuri Borisov on Tuesday 23 June said that India has been assured that ongoing contracts will not just be maintained, in a number of cases they will be taken forward in a shorter time.

What India’s defence Minister underscored in Moscow on Tuesday regarding Indo-Russian defence relationship is significant due to last week’s standoff and barbaric attack on Indian Army personnel at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh by the PLA.

Singh said that all proposals from India have received positive response from the Russian side and he was fully satisfied with his discussions with Yury Borisov, who visted Singh in this hotel, despite the restrictions of the pandemic.

Earlier in the morning, Russian Deputy Defence Minister Colonel General Alexander Fomin held talks with with India’s Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar.

The two sides discussed bilateral cooperation in military and technical sphere, and expressed interest in further strengthening multi-faceted ties and strategic partnership between the two countries.

Singh is in Moscow at the invitation of the Russian Ministry of Defence to attend the 75th Anniversary of Victory Day Parade on Wednesday.

Singh’s visit to Moscow is the first foreign visit from India of an official delegation after the COVID pandemic.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modilater this year.

World

Iran talks of new power equation to combat warmongering

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Newsroom24x7 Network

Moscow: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has drawn world attention to a new power equation by stating here on Monday that contrary to US, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia are determined to maintain peace and stability in the region.

Referring to Iran-Russia-China joint military drills, Zarif said it indicates the significant role and efforts of all parties in establishing peace in the region. On December 27, Iran, Russia and China started staging a four-day trilateral naval exercise in the north Indian Ocean and Sea of Oman to share experiences in fight against terrorism and piracy.

IRNA (Islamic Republic New Agency) reports, Zarif made the remarks in a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Zarif arrived in Moscow late on Sunday to hold talks with top Russian officials including his counterpart Sergei Lavrov on wide range of issues.

Zarif said the relation between Iran and Russia is in its best historic situation and Iranian officials are determined to consider Russia as a big and important neighboring state acting as a great international power, he said.

“In contrast to those who promote warmongering in the region, Iran and Russia have presented initiatives which are similar to each other aiming to maintain peace in the region”, Zarif said.

IRNA further reports: Referring to US recent attack on Iraqi forces, Zarif said this was just one example of US behavior.

The Iranian foreign minister described Iran-Russia cooperation in Astana format as a successful example of joint cooperation for bringing back peace to Syria. He also expressed the hope for dialogue on regional and international issues linked to Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq and went on to underscore that Russia follows peace initiative while Iran pursues Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE) initiative.

It may be recalled, the Iranian president had presented the Hormuz Peace Endeavor HOPE initiative at the 74th UNGA session on 25 September 2019, calling for collective cooperation of the Persian Gulf coastal states to safeguard peace in the Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.

After that, the Iranian government had sent letters to the southern Arab states in the Persian Gulf to seize the opportunity to reduce tensions with Iran and provide free maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The move shows how serious Iran is in ending differences with its neighbors, Zarif said, adding the presence of the US and its allies in the Middle East is the main source of tensions there like the events that are taking place in Iraq and Lebanon these days.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Monday that Javad Zarif will leave Moscow for Beijing in the second leg of his regional tour. In China, he will discuss bilateral issues including the July 2015 nuclear deal.

Sports

Hockey : Indian men rout Russia 7-1 to book Olympic berth

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Newsroom24x7 Network

​Newsroom24x7 Network

Bhubaneshwar: Akashdeep Singh and ,  Rupinder  scored two goals each as the Indian men’s team thrashed  Russia 7-1 in the second leg of their Olympic qualifiers here on Saturday  to qualify for  the 2020 Tokyo Olympics .​ The other goal scorers for the hosts were Lalit Upadhyay ,Nilakanta Sharma, Amit Rohidas (one each)​.

India had won the first leg  4-2, which meant that the aggregate score at the end of the match was 11-3 in their favour. ​

The hosts got an early scare with Russia scoring within the first 25 seconds of the match through  Alexey Sobolevskiy. ​
However the home side soon started asserting themselves against their opponents and two minutes into the second quarter, Lalit Upadhyay managed to get his stick on Hardik Singh’s shot to make it 1-1. Akashdeep Singh then scored twice in the 23rd and 29th minute to make it 3-1  at half time taking the aggregate score to 7-3. ​

In the  last quarter Nilakanta Sharma, Amit Rohidas and Rupinder Singh (2) found the target  as India pumped in four goals to seal the win.

Indian coach G.Reid was visibly pleased with his team’s show  saying “You always dream of an Olympics podium finish. I was lucky to win one as a player and those memories are things you hold on to. That’s what we need to bring to this team and give it a big shot. ​


“I told the players that we have nine months (before Olympics). Just get better and better. That’s our plan. Focus on the process, result will take care of itself.​”  I think for me what we need to get better in is finishing. We are creating a lot of opportunities, which is great. Need to get more return. Also in deep defence, we have to get tighter. Still giving away too many opportunities (to opponents).​”  It’s great that we have a squad of 33, which may have to become 32. Pro League is a big opportunity, to work out for the Olympics and there are a lot of games during that period. If all of them play all those games, they won’t be in best shape to play for the Olympics.​

Talking about the preprations for the Olympics he said ” What I shared today was the confidence I have in Krishan. For me they both (Sreejesh and Krishan) can be interchangeable. That’s how I want to keep it. Obviously the choice will need to be made for the games. Also Suraj is there. ​
 In the midfield, we have some of the younger players coming through. And Chinglensana is still in the wings, getting better. He is also the defensive midfielder to come back for us. ​

He dismissed the talk about first game jitters saying ”  We aren’t the only ones who had. If you look at Aus women and Dutch men, they also have a little bit of hiccup on the first day. It (format) is a first for everybody. ​

“There was a lot of pressure. It’s a very pressurised situation that you are in as a team and as coaching taff. It’s credit to everyone involved. As I said before, as far as Russia is concerned, it’s also skills of them today. Very, very good tacklers. They are a really good team. To think we would come out and play fantastically would probably downgrade the opposition.

​Captain  Manpreet opined  “It’s quite good women too have qualified. I want to congratulate the women, they did a lot of hard work and got the goal in the final minutes after being down 0-4. They deserve it. ​HSB​