The world got the expected results in Russian Presidential Election when President Vladimir Putin got reelected by a landslide. His victory is a big blow to West especially US, UK, EU as they were on a hostile trajectory from Nerve Gas attack on Spies in UK to Meddling in US Presidential Elections to Syria Conflict and more. The Central Election Commission said Mr Putin had won 75.9 per cent of votes with more than 70 per cent counted. His nearest challenger, Communist Party candidate Pavel Grudinin, got just over 11 per cent, while nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky got about 6 per cent and TV personality-turned-politician Ksenia Sobchak, whose father was Putin’s political mentor, came in with 1.4 percent of the vote. None of the seven candidates who ran against him posed a threat, and opposition leader Alexei Navalny was barred from running.
The Factors which made President Putin Victory was the Economy had improved though unilateral Western sanctions were put. The domestic manufacturing did not suffer. He held together the Russian State that was threatened with further disintegration because of separatism in the Caucasus, especially Chechnya and Dagestan that he was able to resolve. He dealt with threats such as terrorism and external threat of a militarized NATO on Russian borders, with a strong hand, and without threatening minorities, encouraged the revival of Christianity, funded the restoration of churches and linked with the Orthodox Church patriarchs. When Syria was attacked he stood by Assad regime and show caused to the World Best Russian Defense System. He has good relation with Saudi to India to Iran to China all personally and who do no his personal friendship in White House with President Donald J Trump.
Mr Putin thanked voters for their support at a victory rally and said Russia had a great future ahead of it provided its people stayed united. Mr Putin’s victory will extend his total time in office to nearly a quarter of a century, until 2024, by which time he will be 71. Only Soviet dictator Josef Stalin ruled for longer. Putin has spent almost 14 years as president, and he spent four years in two stints as prime minister. Another six-year term would extend his lock on power for 24 years.
Senator Igor Morozov said on state television “I think that in the United States and Britain they’ve understood they cannot influence our elections,”. Valentina Matviyenko, a close Putin ally and speaker of the upper house of Parliament, hailed the victory as a moral one over the West. “Our elections have proved once again … that it’s not possible to manipulate our people,” she said. “People came together. No other country in the world has such open and transparent elections.”
When Vladimir Putin addressed the crowd in his electoral campaign headquarters during preliminary results one of the reporters asked the president whether “we’ll see a new Putin or old Putin” in the next six years. “Everything changes. We all change,” Putin said with a smile. He also laughed off a question about running again in 2024.
Russia India Relations are truly natural and long-lasting. The victory of President Putin is a continuation of this Policy, a stronger role for Russia internationally, and stability within Russia, though measures of controlling dissent and civil society space will also continue. For India, Russia understands India’s needs bilaterally, regionally and multilaterally. Russia has acceded to Indian pressure and sensitivities of not being part of the CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) part as it goes through areas sensitive for India. Russia’s new and developing relations with Pakistan is because of Russian high stakes in a stable Afghanistan and Central Asia. They will not risk improving relations with Pakistan at the cost of India.
Already in Defense, it is win-win situation for both as India-Russia military-technical cooperation has evolved from a simple buyer-seller framework to one involving joint research, development and production of advanced defence technologies and systems. Containing India and China in Asia and the Indian Ocean is important for Russia. The risks in the Asia Pacific surrounding the South China Sea could intensify Putin has to take special care.
Dialogue on counter-terrorism, extremism and fundamentalism working together in the G20, in BRICS and SCO is need of the hour. Collaboration at the UN has over the years been steady but greater coordination and cooperation would be of mutual benefit. India sees suspiciously Russia’s recent flirtations with Pakistan and opening up to the Taliban in Afghanistan. A greater transparency on the part of Russia when it comes to regional affairs, especially China, Pakistan and Afghanistan is needed taking its national interest and India.
However, both the countries in December 2014, stressed for US$30 billion bilateral trade by 2025. Bilateral trade during in 2015 amounted to US$ 7.83 billion (decline of 17.74% over 2015), with Indian export amounting to US$ 2.26 billion and imports from Russia amounting to US$ 5.57% has to be improved.
Finally, I can say that the forces that threaten the world order based on sovereign equality, independence, territorial integrity, non use of force, non-interference in the internal affairs of states and respect for the principles of justice and international law can be challenging for both Russia India. So their Cooperation and partnership is vital not only for both their futures, but also in the interest of regional and international peace, security and development. India Russia relationship has, in spite of several twists and turns been consistently on an upward trend. In that regard President Vladimir Putin’s victory is important.
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