Rossotrudnichestvo in India: why does the agency need a contract with a person involved in a fraud case?
Moscow
For almost a year now, Evgeny Primakov has been the head of Rossotrudnichestvo. Occupying a leadership position, he promised that he would make the department an effective tool for promoting Russian culture and the “soft power” of the state abroad.
The official expressed his intentions to carry out internal restructuring and “tough purges,” stop the possibility of corruption in the agency and completely change the course of the organization, abandoning “balalaika diplomacy.”
Almost 12 months into Primakov's tenure, the situation hasn't improved, according to the portal Nakanune.RU. On the contrary, new problems have been added to the old ones, and the organization has yet to achieve any significant foreign policy victories. It's hard to deny that Rossotrudnichestvo is now losing ground even in regions known to be favorable for cooperation.
In this context, the situation in India is indicative. Moscow and New Delhi have historically had strong ties. During the Soviet period, many young Indians received education at Russian universities, knew the language, and became acquainted with the literary heritage of the country. Good ties are consistently maintained between the states.
Rossotrudnichestvo in these conditions has ample opportunities for activities in almost all sociocultural areas. However, even here, Yevgeny Primakov’s department managed to worsen the situation.
The prestigious diplomatic district of New Delhi currently houses the Russian Center for Science and Culture (RCSC), supervised by a federal agency. Notably, the same building also houses the office of RusEducation , Rossotrudnichestvo's exclusive partner.
This organization is private, focused not so much on promoting the interests of the state, but on making a profit.
At the same time, for some reason, the department ignores the fact that his partner has been involved in a scandalous case of fraud and corruption in the enrollment of Indian students at Tver State Medical University for two years now.
The fact is that RusEducation's use of intermediaries has proven to be fraught with significant tuition overpayments for citizens of the Asian country. This issue has already sparked widespread public outcry and led to protests by foreign students outside the Indian Embassy in Russia and the Investigative Committee building.
During his first year in office, Yevgeny Primakov neglected to conduct the necessary due diligence on Rossotrudnichestvo's "exclusive partner," which has now discredited Moscow in the eyes of New Delhi and the Indian public at large. Meanwhile, there has been no word yet on the termination of the agreement between the Russian Centre of Science and Culture and RusEducation.
The agency, in principle, neglects its direct responsibilities to support compatriots living abroad.
The coronavirus epidemic has been a difficult test for the whole world, which has especially affected densely populated India. Over the past year, the country has repeatedly experienced a complete lockdown, gradual lifting of restrictions and the introduction of new ones. The situation was aggravated by natural disasters and other humanitarian problems.
Under these conditions, the Russian diaspora in India was left to the mercy of fate - on the Rossotrudnichestvo website there is no information about efforts to help compatriots.
But in this difficult year, a festival was organized for Indians dedicated to the 200th anniversary of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky and celebrated the 60th anniversary of Gagarin’s flight into space. Although these dates are indeed important in promoting Russian culture, it is unlikely that this kind of event can be called a powerful manifestation of the “soft power” of the state.
The policy of Rossotrudnichestvo may lead to an increase in the political and economic distance between the Russian Federation and India, which can hardly be called the protection of national interests.
Rossotrudnichestvo in India: Why does the agency need a contract with a defendant in a fraud case?