Moscow and Delhi: A Comparison and Contrast

Introduction

Indo-Russian relations have witnessed profound upheavals since the collapse of the Soviet Union, ranging from a steep decline in the beginning of the 1990s through a new political and strategic understanding in the mid-1990s to the mutually "productive" and "enduring" partnership between New Delhi and Moscow during the Putin administration. For a proper assessment of the two countries' manifold ties, it is appropriate to study the various phases in their relationship since the Cold War period within theoretical perspectives--Cold War geopolitics, Gorbachev's "new political thinking" paradigm and Putin's pragmatic policy approach. These two countries are historically linked with each other. I will, in this paper, discuss the differences and similarities between Moscow and New Delhi in a concise and comprehensive way.

Moscow and Delhi: A Comparison and Contrast

Located in the Palouse Valley, a four thousand-square mile region found in northern Idaho and eastern Washington, Moscow serves as the county seat of Latah County. The area's grasslands served as an attraction to some of the earliest settlers. However, the fertile soil of the nearby hills and the abundant timber also attracted pioneers. Due to the abundant grasslands, many of the early settlers raised cattle, and for much of the first decade of settlement, this proved to be a feasible occupation, as many of the prospectors in the area purchased the beef. However, several severe winters, coupled with overgrazing, led to the collapse of this industry. Furthermore, the expansion of sheep ranching and homesteading reduced the open range available for cattle raising. Consequently, this industry became unprofitable by the end of the 1870s, and early settlers turned to subsistence farming (Homer, pp. 45-56).

The relatively isolated location of the town proved to be the greatest challenge in the early years of settlement. Although Walla Walla was more ...