Chashma Nuclear Plant
Moscow-Islamabad relations are growing but mistrust persists.
Written by Paul Antonopoulos, independent geopolitical analyst
A Russian company has backed out from a deal with Pakistan after it discovered that the procurement of items was meant for the South Asian country’s Chashma nuclear plant. According to ANI, the Federal Service for Technical and Export Control (FSTEC) of Russia refused to issue a license for the exportation of six hand-foot-contamination monitors from Moscow’s Technocenter to the Hassan Scientific corporation in Lahore after it was discovered that the end-user was the Chashma Nuclear Power Generating Station.
Pakistan traditionally procures nuclear materials from private companies in Europe. However, this has changed due to the European Union’s ever-increasing control imposed by its regulatory bodies. Because of this, Pakistan has had to look elsewhere, including Russia, to procure such items. Now it appears that Pakistan will have to look elsewhere once again as Moscow has also been closely observing efforts by private Pakistani companies to procure such items for the Chashma nuclear plant.
According to an informed source quoted by ANI, “the Pakistani side felt that Russian regulatory authorities probably do not have as [much] stringent oversight. It is worth noting that when it comes to the procurement of dual-use nuclear products, the Pakistani state tends to overlook the nature of its bilateral relations with other countries. The steady building of relations with Russia did not deter Pakistan from procuring dual-use nuclear items from Russia discretely.”
Russia’s halt of exporting equipment for Pakistan’s Chashma nuclear plant comes despite the improving relations between the two countries. It is noted that traditionally, particularly during the Cold War period, Islamabad enjoyed close relations with Washington, whilst Moscow had closer relations with a non-aligned New Delhi.
This dynamic is beginning to shift though, especially as India becomes closer to the US in the belief that it will deter China’s supposed encroachment against its territory. At the same time, Pakistan is becoming increasingly closer to Russia, something especially unexpected when remembering the country’s key role in opposing the Soviets in the region, particularly during the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989).
In 2007, Mikhail Fradkov became the first Russian prime minister to visit Pakistan in the post-Soviet-era and had “in-depth discussions” with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. The major focus of the visit was to improve bilateral relations with particular emphasis on ways and means to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries. This meeting spurred on Moscow-Islamabad relations, with Russia having now invested billions of dollars in Pakistan, particularly in the energy and defense sector. As of early 2021, Pakistan has been supplied with Russian-made Mi-35 attack helicopters and the pair have signed contracts to deliver anti-tank systems, air defense weapons and small arms.
Yet, despite the growing relationship between Moscow and Islamabad, as well as India’s pivot towards the US in the context of tensions with China, it points to two realities: 1) Relations between Moscow and New Delhi still remain strong; 2) Moscow still does not fully trust Islamabad.
Russia still remains India’s top supplier of defense equipment and together they are engaged in joint production of naval frigates, fighter jets, helicopters and Brahmos cruise missiles. In addition, India has invested in Russia’s Far East and exports pharmaceuticals, electronic equipment and machines to Russia. In fact, the trade exchange in 2019-20 between the two countries amounted to $10.11 billion. Russia and India have set a bilateral trade target at $30 billion by 2025.
In 2018, trade exchanges between Russia and Pakistan amounted to only about $800 million. When observing their relations from this economic perspective, it suggests that despite India’s pivot towards the US, relations with Russia still remain strong and much more profitable and important than with Pakistan. Although Islamabad-Moscow relations are strengthening and becoming more profitable, there is still a long way until trust can be established, and the halting of exporting equipment for Pakistan’s Chashma nuclear plant points to this reality.
Moscow, just like New Delhi, is still concerned by Pakistan’s unapologetic and continued support for terrorist organizations like the Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Although prospects for Russo-Pakistani relations are extremely positive, it does not discount that Pakistan’s propriety to support terrorist organizations raises security concerns in the Kremlin, especially if terrorist organizations in Central Asia become further strengthened and emboldened to target Russia.
Although the two countries are working to overcome mistrust, Pakistan’s attempt to procure nuclear equipment without Russia’s knowledge will serve as another major setback. Despite India pivoting closer to the US, it is unlikely to affect its relations with Russia. In this context, Moscow will be satisfied and unwilling to backtrack on its relations with New Delhi, especially since they are rooted in history unlike its relatively recent relationship with Islamabad. None-the-less, Moscow will also want to continue developing its relations with Islamabad, but they are unlikely to reach great heights so long as Pakistan continues to support terrorist organizations.
Don’t understand why Southfront publishes this type of biased article based on flase information supplied by indian media. Sad to see SF growing so zionist. For this many years Pakistan developed their nuclear assets, and just by writing articles like this the capacity will vanish!!!
Read about the corruption in Pakistani military on the Spectator magazine.
Herbert Absolutely progress begins with corruption as it far more wide spread in the west and India why cannot Pakistanis copy them
“2) Moscow still does not fully trust Islamabad” Know why? Because Pakistan is a Muslim country and Russia does not want any strong Muslim country. They prefer to sell conventional arms to Pakistan. They will neither transfer technology nor sell material that will make Pakistan a stronger nuclear power. These should be a lesson to the Muslim governments out there who think that the Christian countries will help them if they become allies. They’ll keep you weak and dependent on them. And then they’ll fight you when you start to become strong even if you do not provoke them. It’s been the same centuries past and it ain’t about to change.
This is why Erdogan is such a great leader. He’s very aggressive in trying to end his country’s dependence on foreign nations for defense and economy. InshaAllah, he’ll succeed.
With growing defense cooperation between Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, Qatar, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan, we should expect breakthrough technologies in the coming decades, including engine and nuclear tech.
God willing, Turkey will fill the gap for whatever defense product a Muslim country wants, including nuclear. We should expect to see Turkish-built nuclear reactors with all the necessary equipment before 2040. The Muslim world will break this monopoly on arms and nuclear technology no matter how hard the Kuffaar try to prevent it.
Frisian Firstly Putin and are more zionist then zionist in occupied Palestine Also massive emigration Russians occurred after the collapse of USSR It emptied out Russia to the level that they need these Russified immigrants from Stans otherwise Russian economy cannot function nor expand Check it out Also indigenous MUSLIM POPULATION WITHIN Russian Federation is far larger than official stated figures
You just wrote a whole lot of nonsense for nothing. Russia doesn’t trust any state that sponsors terrorism.
Frisian THIS I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU
hope they’ll stop building turkish nuclear plant as well, turkey is more dangerous than pakistan
They are both equally bad and corrupt.
Gonzalo You mean they are more DANGEROUS THEN ONES IN INDIA WHICH ARE AGING AND ABSOLUTELY NO MAINTENANCE DONE AND LEAKING WITH RADIOACTIVITY
Pakistan is an impoverished US puppet state, corrupt to the core and very unstable and Russia has made the wise decision not to supply any nuclear parts to such a dangerous extremist cesspool.
Herbert You mean India in heart of heart as there 500 million Indians WITHOUT TOILETS 600 million Indians go hungry every night Indians. Often seen defecating in the street Do you want me to say more
Herbert By the way Indians PROUDLY HOLD YEARLY COMPETITION IN WHO IS THE BEST AND FASTEST STREET DEFECATOR SO YOU CAN SEE THE REAL CESSPOOL OF HUMANITY WASTE ON THE STREET
097 Absolutely you be careful whilst defefactinh in Streets of India ok No competition as it becomes messy
North Korea.