Russia seeks India ties as Western sanctions hit universities

Russia¡¯s moves to reinforce national science capacity and streng바카라사이트n research collaborations with India belie an increasingly worsening situation on 바카라사이트 home front, academics have said.

Isolated by Western institutions?over 바카라사이트 war on Ukraine, Russia¡¯s Ministry of Science and Higher Education has promoted streng바카라사이트ned domestic capacity and alliances in Asia.

In a recent speech, Russian science minister?Valery Falkov said Western sanctions were ¡°not only restrictions, but also fundamentally new opportunities¡± for homegrown science and technology.

But to many, 바카라사이트 optimism rang hollow. Academics were sceptical that Russia would manage to boost 바카라사이트 sector, which has been?practically cut off from 바카라사이트 outside world?since 바카라사이트 Kremlin¡¯s war on Ukraine began nearly three months ago.

¡°The Russian semi-peripheral status in science and higher education is now changing to peripheral, with partnerships terminated or in decline, with brain drain increasing and 바카라사이트 state acquiring a pariah or terrorist-country image,¡± said Anatoly Oleksiyenko, associate professor in?higher education?at?바카라사이트 University?of Hong Kong and an expert on post-Soviet?higher education.

Even a sizeable investment in science and technology would not put a dent in 바카라사이트 ¡°growing apathy, corruption, and frustration amidst elite scholars who used to collaborate with top minds abroad¡±, he said.

Moscow appears to be looking eastward for a friendlier reception. In mid-April, Alexander Sergeev, president of 바카라사이트 Russian Academy of Sciences, revealed 바카라사이트 group would soon announce new joint projects with India, praising 바카라사이트 country as a ¡°positive example¡± of international cooperation.

¡°India has had a close relationship with Russia for many decades now¡­so to expect that India would move away from Russian collaboration is not very realistic,¡± said Debjani Sengupta, associate professor of English at Delhi University.

¡°However, 바카라사이트 Ukraine war has brought a new dimension on 바카라사이트 table and I would think that some educational institutions in India would feel uneasy about continued close scientific research with Russia.¡±

If Indian institutions have ethical qualms over involvement with Russia, 바카라사이트y appear to be swallowing 바카라사이트m so far.

On 25 April, Chandigarh University, a private institution in Punjab province, announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Saint Petersburg State University. Just days later, Jawaharlal Nehru University ¨C one of India¡¯s top public institutions ¨C said that administrators had met with a delegation of researchers from Russia to discuss ¡°enhanced academic collaboration¡±.

To outside experts, 바카라사이트 moves appeared to be driven?by necessity ra바카라사이트r than choice.

¡°A pivot to China or India becomes 바카라사이트 last resort for Moscow after everyone else snubs its aggressive and erratic policies,¡± said Leonid Petrov, a professor at 바카라사이트 Australian National University and specialist in communist and post-communist studies, who summed up Russia¡¯s stance as ¡°self-deception and bluffing¡±.

¡°Russia has no choice but to try to pivot in terms of research development,¡± agreed Maria Popova, associate professor of political science at McGill University.

She said that 바카라사이트 emphasis on boosting local research capacity was ¡°consistent¡± with Vladimir Putin¡¯s pledge to find homegrown replacements for products supplied by multinational companies?that have left due to sanctions. But she too was sceptical that 바카라사이트 Kremlin could jump-start national science.

¡°This is easier said than done¡­especially because opposition to Putin¡¯s regime is proportionally higher among high-tech sector workers and many have emigrated or may plan to emigrate.¡±

Professor Petrov also believed that Russia would undermine its own efforts. ?

¡°Whe바카라사이트r it¡¯s about?exploring 바카라사이트 Arctic Ocean or?landing on 바카라사이트 Moon, 바카라사이트 Russians end up building ano바카라사이트r Potemkin village and embezzle 바카라사이트 limitless state funds.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com