HEADLINE = Why India should welcome Russias chopper sales to Pakistan

STRAP = The Russian sale of Mi-25 attack helicopters to Pakistan will only stabilise the situation in South
Asia.

It seemed like the diplomatic version of an ambush. On June 2, 2014 Sergey Chemezov, the CEO of the
Russian state-run technologies corporation Rostec, told Voice of Russia radio that Moscow was lifting its
undeclared arms embargo against Pakistan and was negotiating the delivery of Mi-25 helicopter
gunships to the country. (http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_06_02/Russia-lifts-embargo-on-
weapons-supplies-to-Pakistan-1097/)
While some strategic experts called it a landmark development, to most Indians it appeared to be a stab
in the back by a long-time ally. In Indian eyes, Russia has been Indias strategic partner for over 40 years
whereas Pakistan is a long-time American client state. Besides, Pakistan has used every weapon supplied
by its Western backers against India.
But that thinking is so 2013. The United States retreat from the Middle East and its pivot to the Asia-
Pacific has created several low-hanging opportunities for Russia in the region. Pakistan is one of them. In
fact, for the first time ever Russian and Pakistan interests have converged in the backdrop of a
resurgent Taliban.
Americas slow motion exit from Afghanistan has got the jehadis salivating at the prospect of regaining
power in the war-torn country. While the Taliban may not have won more than a handful of battles in
Americas longest war, in the popular Afghan narrative they have defeated yet another superpower. If,
and when, they storm the gates of Kabul, the emboldened Islamists are likely to target Pakistan next.
This has set off the alarm bells in Moscow. The Russians are paranoid about waves of Islamic guerrillas
attacking their soft underbelly in Central Asia. First they will hit Tajikistan, then they will try to break
into Uzbekistan... If things turn out badly, in about 10 years our boys will have to fight well-armed and
well-organised Islamists somewhere in Kazakhstan," current Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin
warned with uncanny insight way back in 2009.
(http://mobile.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE50N12420090124?src=RSS-WOR)
The Pakistanis are worried too. Not only will they lose the hundreds of millions of dollars in
compensation that the United States doles out for the use of Pakistani military bases, Islamabad feels it
is being abandoned in the midst of its do or die struggle with the Islamists.
Although it is a fact that they created the Islamist genie in the first place, for once the Pakistanis are
right in saying they are bigger victims of terror than India. For instance, in a joint attack in 2011 the
Pakistani Taliban and Al-Qaeda almost completely destroyed the Karachi Naval Base.
(http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/23/militants-attack-pakistani-naval-base-karachi)
So, like it or not, Pakistan is really at the frontlines in the battle against the Taliban. The Pakistanis are,
therefore, looking at extricating themselves from the US-created mess. The Russian gambit neatly
dovetails into Pakistans requirement. Moscow has already entered into a deal with India where New
Delhi pays for Russian weapons to the Afghan military. The arms deal with Pakistan completes this
pincer maneuver that surrounds the Taliban.
The reason why the Russians have offered the Mi-25 helicopter from their vast arsenal is significant.
Known as the worlds only "assault helicopter", for its combination of firepower and troop-carrying
capability, it has been highly effective in Afghanistans harsh environment.
During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, Russian pilots nicknamed the Mi-25 the
Flying Tank because it was not only extremely survivable, it also created terror among the Afghan
mujahideen. The gunship was so effective the fear-stricken Islamic fighters called it the "Shaitan-Arba"
or Satan's Chariot.
While a handful of gunships to Pakistan wont change the military balance vis--vis India, the Mi-25 can
be the game changer in battles with guerillas up in the mountains. Also, in Afghanistan where airfields
are as rare as hens teeth, helicopters are the only way to get out and about. By supplying these
gunships to Pakistan, the Russians get the Pakistanis to continue with the job of clearing up Islamist
opposition.
In fact, the proven effectiveness of Russian helicopters is precisely the reason why the US Defence
Department no less paid Moscow $1 billion for supplying the Afghan military with Russian-made
helicopters.
Predictably, the deal hasnt gone down well with the Indian public. Thats understandable because most
Indians have over the decades perceived the Russians as friends. However, the deal syncs with Indias
interests and it is very likely Vladimir Putins Kremlin sounded out South Block before green lighting it.
New Delhi is hardly likely to be upset over the sale of a few 1970s technology gunships to the rust
bucket Pakistani military. Compared with its Pakistani counterpart the Indian military is a behemoth and
the balance is skewing in Indias favour by the day.
The other reason is morale and training in which India is miles ahead. Despite the much superior fighter
aircraft, weaponry and radars provided by the Americans under the Baghdad Pact, the Pakistanis
botched both the 1965 and 1971 wars. P.V.S. Jagan Mohan and Samir Chopra describe in their book
Eagles Over Bangladesh (http://www.thedailystar.net/battles-in-the-sky-26631) how the Indian Air Force neutralised
the Pakistan Air Force in less than 72 hours.
Besides, the IAF itself operates two Mi-25 helicopter squadrons (No.104 Firebirds and No.125
Gladiators) and so the gunship is hardly a secret weapon.
Indias objections
As the worlds largest arms importer, India has considerable leverage over Russia. Moscow is hardly
likely to risk its strategic relationship and defence trade amounting to dozens of billions of dollars over a
pea-sized helicopter deal.
Boris Volkhonsky, head of the Asian sector of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, told RIA Novosti
(http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russia-lifts-embargo-on-weapons-sales-to-
pakistan/501300.html) that although India has always tended to react badly to the idea of arms being
supplied to Pakistan, he doesn't expect collaboration between Moscow and Islamabad to cause
problems. I do not think India will have any objections, Volkhonsky said. After all, India and Pakistan
both buy weapons from the US, and this has not bothered them.
Indeed, India has purchased defence equipment from the US, France, the UK and Ukraine which have
regularly supplied arms to Pakistan without its relations hitting turbulence with any of these nations.
So long as Russia doesnt cross the red line by supply strategic weapons like long-range jet fighters,
submarines or missiles to Pakistan, India doesnt have any reason to be alarmed. As Chemezov assured,
Our strategic partner has always been and will be India. Or as Rogozin more intensely put it, We have
never created problems for India, unlike other countries. If someone says differently, spit in their face.
And finally, to those claiming this is a landmark deal or a strategic decision, heres news: Russia has sold
70 Mi-17 transport helicopters to Pakistan between 1996 and 2010.