NATIONAL: Western Nations Raise Heat Ahead of Putin’s India Visit
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two-day trip to New Delhi kicks off December 4, blending summit pomp with pacts on defense and energy.
Yet shadows fall early, courtesy of a pointed critique from Western diplomats that has Indian officials bristling.
This flare-up tests the subtle dance of alliances, just as old ties meet new pressures.
Joint Jabs at Moscow’s Door
In a December 1 Times of India piece, envoys from the UK, France, and Germany laid bare their frustrations with Russia’s Ukraine campaign.
Titled “The world wants the Ukraine war to end, but Russia doesn’t seem serious about peace,” the essay spotlights escalated strikes since talks stirred, from drone swarms to missile barrages hitting civilian sites.
They frame these as calculated cruelty, not mishaps, underscoring a leadership bent on prolongation over parley.
Core Charges in Sharp Relief
The diplomats didn’t hold back, weaving a tapestry of grievances that stretch beyond borders. Their litany includes:
- Systematic targeting of homes, hospitals, and schools, claiming lives including children’s.
- Violations of border pacts and risky airspace probes into Europe.
- Cyber intrusions and disinformation campaigns eroding democratic pillars worldwide.
- Forcible relocation of over 19,500 Ukrainian youth, plus stalled fronts at staggering Russian losses nearing a million.
Such barbs, penned by High Commissioner Lindy Cameron, Ambassador Thierry Mathou, and Ambassador Philipp Ackermann, nod to India’s peace stance while vowing unwavering aid to Kyiv.
Delhi’s Diplomatic Pushback
India’s Ministry of External Affairs wasted little time, deeming the publication “unacceptable and unusual” in private huddles.
Spokespeople hinted at breached courtesies, especially with a guest nation’s leader inbound, urging discretion over public airing.
The timing, they implied, smacks of orchestration to sway narratives right before handshakes.
Sibal Sounds the Alarm
Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal turned up the volume on X, branding the essay a “vicious” affront to protocol.
He slammed it as meddling in domestic discourse, stoking divides among Europe-leaning Indians and casting doubt on New Delhi’s Moscow bond. “Envoys should demarche quietly, not grandstand with propaganda,” he urged, calling out the paper for abetting the slight.
Ripples in Relational Waters
This dust-up lays bare fractures in the West’s outreach to the Global South, where India’s neutral footing draws quiet envy.
Pro-Russia voices online amplify the outrage, while Kyiv allies see it as overdue candor. As Putin lands, expect sidelined chats to smooth feathers, lest one op-ed unravel broader bridges.
Whispers of Wider Storms
Beyond the page, the episode spotlights how words can wound where weapons won’t. For India, threading neutrality amid great-power pulls grows trickier by the tweet.
Will this nudge cooler tones or just harden lines? The summit’s script may hold clues, but trust, once tweaked, takes time to mend.