The Soviet Union, The Communist Party of India and Indira Gandhi: Indo-Soviet Relations, 1966-1984

After the independence of India from the British Empire declared in 1947, the Indian National Congress dominated democratic politics of the country for several decades. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India and the face of socialists of the Congress, had initiated the collaboration with the USSR, especially on economic front. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established a few months before the official proclamation of independence of India and since then all Indian leaders had to deal with the Soviets. The apex of the relations was reached during Indira Gandhi’s premiership (1966-84) due to the peculiarities of Indian domestic politics and the geopolitical circumstances, which created the favourable conditions for even closer ties between the two countries and bolstered assertiveness of India as a regional power.