Russia Ukraine war UPSC: Relevance
- GS 3: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
Russia Ukraine crisis: Context
- Russian war on Ukraine is still going on and its impact on the world order needs to be focussed upon.
Russia Ukraine conflict: Issues for India
- India has refused to criticise Russia’s action by abstaining at the United Nations. This decision would possibly impact India’s relation with the West, especially with the US.
- The economic sanctions put by the US might lead to unprecedented damage to the domestic economy of India.
- Moreover, the crisis is having following negative impacts on the global world order.
Russia Ukraine war: Crumbling world order
- UN and the Security Council: Russia’s actions in Ukraine have exposed the United Nations and the Security Council for their complete ineffectiveness.
- Everyday bombing by Russia on Ukrainian cities and the western response of putting sanctions on Russia rather than bringing it under the United Nations, is a deep concern for the global order.
- Undermining nuclear safeguards: Russia has targeted areas near Chernobyl and shell buildings near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which the Europe’s largest nuclear plant is a worrying signal for a rule based global order.
- Moreover, the fact that Ukraine and Libya, who have voluntarily given up their nuclear programmes, were invaded; and Iran and North Korea can anytime defy the global order because they have held on to their nuclear deterrents, speaks a lot about the nuclear non-proliferation regime’s credibility.
- Economic sanctions: The arbitrary and unilateral sanctions imposed by the western countries overshadowed the international financial order set up under the World Trade Organization.
- Moreover, the fact that the sanctions announced so far do not include some of Russia’s biggest banks such as Sberbank and Gazprombank and energy agencies (in order to avoid the disruption of oil and gas from Russia), has also raised various questions about the credibility of such sanctions.
- World is moving in the direction of non-dollar system as India is using a rupee-rouble mechanism for financing our imports from Russia, and Russian banks will now use the Chinese “UnionPay” for online transactions.
- Isolation causing distress: The western countries are aiming at isolating Russia, socially and culturally, which rails against the global liberal order.
- Moreover, their acknowledgement that their fight is not with the Russian citizens is also not going well with their actions as most of their actions will hurt the average Russian citizen.
Russia Ukraine war: Way forward
- India must move with the like-minded nations to proactively uphold, strengthen and reinvent the global order that will make the world a safer place.
Russia Ukraine articles for UPSC: