The policy reset

General Sergei Shoygu, the first Russian defence minister to visit Pakistan since 1969 (the then Soviet Union) was in Islamabad this week to personally convey his government's decision to sell Pakistan 20 Mi-35 helicopters. For its relatively cheap operational cost and enhanced orientation for mountain warfare Pakistan wanted Mi-35 for deployment in military operations against terrorists in tribal areas. But Moscow was hesitant to go for the deal given the long-frozen Pak-Russia bilateral relationship and New Delhi's stiff resistance. Now that the world has moved beyond the Cold War era; the United States is about to pull out of Afghanistan and New Delhi is cozying up to Washington the Russian leadership too is thinking its geopolitics, possibly giving preference to geo-economics over geo-strategic interests. Perhaps, the EU's pressure over the Ukraine crisis and threats of food sanctions contributed to Moscow's new strategy to look south and east; and reach Pakistan where its footprints in the shape of Pakistan Steel Mills and Oil and Gas Development Corporation remain indelible. No wonder then the defence co-operation agreement General Shoygu signed with his counterpart Khwaja Asif has been termed a "milestone" in a statement by Pakistan government, with a huge potential to translate this relationship into "tangible terms" to strengthen military-to-military relationship. "Apart from promoting bilateral defence relations the [minister's] visit will enable both countries to join hands in bringing peace and stability to the region," the statement added. Not only has Moscow lifted arms embargo, by sending a 41-member high-powered delegation headed by its defence minister, the Putin government has also shown willingness to overlook the bitter past and prepare for a mutually beneficial multidimensional bilateralism. The Russian move, in the words of The Moscow Times, amounts to "ending years of division over Islamabad's close ties with US and Moscow's with India". The question whether or not the Mi-35 helicopters will obviate the desideratum to put up with CIA's drones has no plausible answer. But the message Moscow gives does invite a pertinent question: How good is a strategic partnership bereft of transactional content?
Going by the contents of the agreement, lifting the arms embargo seems to be just opening the door for a wide-ranging Pak-Russia relationship. It also provides for an exchange of information on politico-military issues; co-operation for promoting international security; intensification of counter-terrorism and arms control activities; strengthening collaboration in various military fields including education, medicine, history, topography, hydrography and culture; sharing experiences in peacekeeping operations; and fighting drug trafficking. A vast scope for co-operation in energy and metallurgy fields also exists, with indications conveyed to Islamabad that Russia is ready to help in coal-fired thermal power projects. Yet another field where the two sides can fruitfully cooperate is bilateral trade, currently 542 million dollars, which, according to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, "does not correspond to their potential". And the Foreign Office spokesperson thinks that "our bilateral relationship is on an upward trajectory". How soon, and quickly, the two sides can move to actualise co-operative action on all of it, it would clearly need more such visits and interlocutions. At the same time, Islamabad would expect Russia to look into the possibility of transfer of technology - an arrangement that it already has with India - for joint ventures of an armament-manufacturing industry. It is indeed encouraging to know that the successor of the Soviet Union is preparing to go for transfer-of-technology agreements with its BRICS partners. With the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) becoming equally relevant to Moscow, if not more, to its 'look-south-east' vision in post-2014 regional scenario and with Pakistan likely to be its member next year, it is all the more pertinent that the landmark agreement General Sergie Shoygu signed with Khwaja Asif is fully implemented.
How ironic it is that while Pakistan Steel Mills finds itself on a deathbed Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (formerly a corporation) is considered the bluest of the blue-chip on the stock exchange. It was in 1969 that Pakistan signed an agreement with the Soviet Union, whereby Pakistan received 27 million Rubles to finance equipment and services of Soviet experts for exploration. Russia lent us a helping hand to help revive an ailing Pakistan Steel Mills during General Musharraf's rule. Unfortunately, however, we failed to cash in on that opportunity mainly owing to a controversial court judgement, accelerating the demise of country's largest industrial unit and unnecessarily straining a flagging Moscow-Islamabad relationship that stood a chance of a robust revival.