Foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon on Tuesday distanced himself from the navy chief's uncharacteristic blunt outburst against Russia on Monday.
NEW DELHI: Foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon on Tuesday distanced himself from the navy chief's uncharacteristic blunt outburst against Russia on Monday.
Menon was asked by reporters to comment on Admiral Mehta's comments about reviewing India's traditional relations with Moscow.
``India has excellent relations with Russia. Go and ask the navy chief about his comments, I cannot comment on that. We can happily settle such issues which arise from time to time,'' Menon added.
``Happily?" reporters questioned. ``Yes, happily,'' was the emphatic reply from the foreign secretary.
The defence forces, particularly the navy, are deeply unhappy about delays in Russian supplies. "Where are our relations with Russia going?" Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta wondered aloud at a press conference, voicing the concern among many in the defence establishment.
He was referring to the delay and controversy surrounding the acquisition of the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov. Admiral Mehta's unblunt criticism of Russia is unusual as defence chiefs generally do not get involved with foreign policy issues.
Unlike the military in neighbouring Pakistan, in India the defence services have always maintained a low profile.
The admiral said there has been a sea change in the Russian attitude to the deal.
"Suddenly they have become rich, perhaps this is also affecting their thinking," he speculated.
"Personally I don't think we would be paying much," he said, indicating he has advised the government not to give in to the Russian demand for an extra $1.2 billion for the Gorshkov refit.
Reflecting the strain creeping into the overall Indo-Russian relations, Mehta said, "There are a lot of things coming into it (Indo-Russian relations), which we will not discuss here."
He said the military feels "we should not put all our eggs in a single basket."
That all's not well is clear from the fact that foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee did not meet his counterpart while on a visit to Moscow last month for talks on the joint commission. Defence minister AK Antony also got a cold welcome.
However, the PM’s visit was a big success.
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