This situation is typical for many pre-tender PR clashes. But spare parts should be delivered on time, especially now that the character of our cooperation has changed, and our military partnership has ceased being almost exclusive.

I have already mentioned the transitional nature of bilateral ties. How can they be defined in general? The two countries are not military allies -- and will never be -- but strategic partners in such fields as nuclear energy, defense and space. They are upgrading joint military exercises, and cooperating in the production and even development of arms, and transfer of technologies.

This is a rather accurate description of key spheres of Russian-Indian cooperation. But in fact this is how Ronen Sen, Indian ambassador to the United States, spoke about relations between America and India. Indicatively, their trade is $40 billion a year.

Former Indian Ambassador to Russia Kanwal Sibal warned in an article published in the Indian Express against limiting bilateral ties to military-technical cooperation because in this case the loss of one tender triggers off powerful political complications. The ambassador advised the two countries to promote economic contacts in order to balance out their relations.

This duel between the ambassadors reflects the situation whereby every country wants to develop ties with future global leader India. Fixed military alliances have become a thing of the past, and diversification of contacts has become the norm.

There is one major difference between Russian and American relations with India. The United States has a 2.5 million-strong Indian community. It is a prosperous community that maintains permanent contacts with the homeland, and exerts substantial influence on the New Delhi political elite. The Indians proudly watch the life of their compatriots in America. They note that there is always a smart Indian on the election teams of all U.S. presidential candidates.

The absence of an Indian community in Russia and several others factors showing that the public is not ready for the age of open borders and respectful communication between civilizations are making Russia less competitive as a global power.

The Year of Russia in India and the subsequent Year of India in Russia are pursuing numerous goals. We should not try to restore the "friendship of nations" dating back to the 1970s. Instead, we should develop a new system of ties, whereby more Russians would feel at home in India and vice versa.

(Dmitry Kosyrev is a political commentator for RIA Novosti. This article is reprinted by permission of RIA Novosti. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.)

(United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)

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