During the Cold War era India and the USSR enjoyed a special relationship which made critics to say that India was part of the ** camp. It was a multi-dimensional relationship:
1. Economic:
(a) The ** Union assisted India’* public sector companies at a time when such assistance was difficult to get.
(b) It gave aid and technical assistance for steel plants like Bhilai, Bokaro, Vishakhapatnam and machinery plants like Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd.
(c) The ** Union accepted Indian currency for trade when India was short of foreign exchange.
2. Political:
(а) The ** Union supported India’* positions on the Kashmir issue in the **.
(b) The ** Union also supported India during its major conflicts during the war with Pakistan in 1971.
(c) India too supported ** foreign policy in some crucial but indirect ways.
3. Military:
(a) India received military hardware from ** Union.
(b) India got technological know-how regarding maintenance of military arsenal.
(c) India and ** Union got mutual agreements to produce military equipment.
4. Cultural:
(a) Hindi films and Indian culture were popular in the ** Union.
(b) A large number of Indian writers and artists visited the USSR.
(c) Indian heroes from Raj Kapoor to Amitabh Bachhan are household names in Russia.
