Why is there apparent indifference in the Indian governments attitude towards the Russian presidents visit?
There is a lot of difference between Bill Clinton’s visit to India early this year and Vladimir Putin’s visit. In between, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee also visited the United States. India and the US are coming closer to each other. Russia, on the other hand, is an old and trusted friend. But we cannot compare the stature of Russia with that of the erstwhile Soviet Union. Russia is financially weak, a country that is rebuilding its economy. You can’t expect India to play up this visit to the same level as that of the American president. On the other hand, Clinton’s visit was different. It marked a sea change in our relations with the United States. The effect was dramatic. Also, it is clear that the US is undisputedly the most powerful nation in the world. The American president’s visit would have had a similar impact on any other country. The Communist Party of India-Marxist is upset that the Russian president’s visit is not being given the same importance as Mr Clinton’s visi
