Namaskar,
It gives me immense pleasure to welcome our distinguished guests to the Embassy this evening. It is a special evening to mark the 50th anniversary of the Indo-Soviet Treaty, signed on 9th August 1971. This is a happy occasion to recall the historic Treaty. I thank everyone who have made it possible to join us this evening.
The Treaty symbolized the close partnership between India and the Soviet Union; their bilateral relations set the basis for a relationship that was practically unbounded. On security matters, it symbolized an alignment of interests in the face of major and critical regional and international challenges. The Treaty symbolized an extraordinary convergence of national interests of both countries on the most critical issues of war and peace.
The 1971 Indo-Soviet Treaty was perhaps the most consequential international Treaty entered into by India since Independence. It was consequential in the sense that it laid the basis for a very successful partnership that has lasted for several decades. It led to the conclusion of the Indo-Pakistan 1971 under conditions that created a new nation - a new independent, sovereign nation, Bangladesh, with which we have the friendliest of relations to date. It also created the basis for the Simla Agreement with Pakistan, which the Russian Federation has continued to support over many decades.
It was not a military alliance. On the contrary, it strengthened the basis for India’s strategic autonomy in the sense that it strengthened the capacity for India’s independent action and, therefore, its independent foreign and security policy.
While the Treaty is of historic significance concluded for an era that we all know has now passed and gone by, its geopolitical underpinnings and understandings remain of enduring significance and value, reflected in the close partnership that India and the Russian Federation were able to establish since 1991. The conclusion of the 1993 Treaty between India and the Russian Federation, which has grown over the last three decades into what is now called the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
Let me recall the contribution of some great people who contributed to Indo-Soviet relations. Many of them are familiar to you, and some of you may have, in fact, worked with them; to recall at this historic point of time that the Indo-Soviet Treaty was brought together by some great people.
From the Indian side, of course, the first proposal was made to Sardar Swaran Singh, who was our Foreign Minister by Soviet Defence Minister Grechko in 1969 who pursued this, and this was taken up by the Foreign Ministry and Andrey Gromyko, the Foreign Minister. The task of negotiating the Treaty was given to the Deputy Foreign Minister N.I. Firyubin, with whom many of you may have worked. He carried the torch until the Treaty was concluded in August 1971. The First Deputy Foreign Minister was Mr Kuznetsov.
On the Indian side the Treaty was taken up in great earnest after the arrival in Moscow in January 1969 of Ambassador D. P. Dhar. It was concluded in August 1971. In terms of timing, it was perfect. It was signed during the tenure of Ambassador Shelvankar, who was then the Ambassador in Moscow. But Ambassador D. P. Dhar continued to engage with Indo-Soviet relations and played a very critical role in that regard.
From the Embassy, we had a number of very important personages who were involved or contributed in one measure or another. And it is fitting to recall on this historic occasion their very great contribution. Mr Romesh Bhandari who later became the Foreign Secretary of India and held very important, senior constitutional positions in India. Mr A. K. Damodaran, who played a very critical role in the drafting of the Treaty; was again a great diplomat in his own right, and occupied very senior positions in the Indian Foreign Ministry. S.V. Purushotamam contributed in a significant way. As junior officers, Ambassador Ronen Sen, who again occupied very senior positions and was Ambassador here in the 90s, stabilized India-Russia relations. Amb. G Parthasarathy was in fact here as a young officer. Amb. S. K Lambah was also here as a young officer.
On the Indian side, we had Foreign Secretary T. N. Kaul, Mr A. P. Venkateshwaran, who was the JS-in-charge of the Soviet Union. Of course, the Prime Minister was Indira Gandhi and her relationship with General Secretary Brezhnev played an extraordinary role.
As Foreign Minister, Sardar Swaran Singh played a very critical role. It is important to remember the contribution of these people to the consolidation of Indo-Soviet relations.
I have great pleasure of inviting some dignitaries to speak to us today. I am absolutely delighted that Ambassador Trubnikov who has played an important role in consolidating relations between India and Soviet Union and representing the Russian Federation in Delhi as Ambassador. We are very thankful for that. Amb. Anwar Azimov has been a great pillar of our friendship in the Foreign Ministry and in Delhi. Our relations cannot be separated from the immense contribution that Amb. Azimov has made over the years.
We have the pleasure of having the State Duma representative here, Mr Pavel Dorokhin, the Head of the Friendship Society, who has very kindly consented to speak. Prof. Tatiana Shaumyan of the Institute of Oriental Studies, of course, has seen many of these things move forward during the past decades. Mr Andrei Kortunov has watched India-Russia relations and the Soviet relationship. So I will give the floor to each one of them one by one.
The commencement of the Indo-Soviet Treaty also started the association of Amb. Kadakin with Delhi and with India. His contribution was immeasurable and invaluable. His memory is as much revered in India and Delhi as it is here amongst our Russian friends. We pay tribute to his memory and contribution to our bilateral relations.
Thank you.
