India-Russia Partnership: Kashmir, Chechnya and Issues of Convergence/

New Delhi, New Century, 2006, xii, 212 p., $32. ISBN 81-7708-114-4.

Contents: Preface. 1. Indo-Soviet relations. 2. Impact of the disintegration. 3. The Yeltsin period. 4. Putin's approach. 5. Chechnya and Kashmir. 6. Areas of convergence. Conclusion. Bibliography. Index.

Keeping in view the Cold War period, the Indo-Russian relations were marked by indifference initially but later those were called special. The disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the emergence of Russia as its successor led to a saga of drastic changes not only in the domestic arena but also in foreign policy. The economic compulsions prompted the Russian leadership to tilt towards the west at the cost of traditional friends like India. This was further compounded by controversies and misunderstandings.
The changing equation in international politics due to the emergence of terrorism on a global scale, as also Islamic extremism, has provided opportunity for the two countries to come on a common platform. The problem of terrorism in Chechnya and Kashmir has been of great concern for Russia and India. The other areas where the interests of Russia and India converge are: striving for multipolar global order, strengthening democracy, technological and economic imperatives that have immense potential for joint ventures and cooperation. Thus, Indo-Russian relations are not only marked by the historical compulsions but also by the changed global realities that make it necessary to further strengthen the bilateral ties.
Written in a communicative style, the book attempts to highlight and trace various aspects of Indo-Russian relations since their evolution, including the major developments that have happened in this area. The focus has been on convergence of interests in post-cold war period. The book should prove useful not only for researchers, policy makers but also for all those interested in understanding the comprehensive mapping of the Indo-Russian relations."
About the Author: Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra holds Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. His areas of specialization include, Kashmir issue, terrorism, Chechnya and Indo-Russian relations. He has presented papers on the above topics at the national and international level. He has also contributed articles in reputed journals and newspapers. Currently, he is working as a Fellow in the Centre for Strategic and Regional Studies, University of Jammu, Jammu (India). He is also the editor of the quarterly journal Across LOC.

Please obtain a copy from https://www.vedamsbooks.com/no46379.htm.