Ask HN: Is offshoring to India helping Russia?
I am seeing many tech companies offshore or outsource product development used in critical U.S. infrastructure to India. However, I am concerned that while companies that may support Ukraine may be fueling Indias ability to buy Russian items under sanctions such as oil. Not to mention the country has also abstained from votes to condemn Russia.
Is this true? Can this be stopped?
6 comments
[ 5.0 ms ] story [ 26.1 ms ] threadIt's merely a conduit, well suited because of its mostly friendly relations with the West and Russia.
Everybody is privately dealing with Russia, whether they are publicly hostile or not.
This is an un-winnable war for Ukraine, and they got nudged into the conflict by the West — the very same West is now complaining about the cost of this war and is delaying or even refusing capable offensive weapons to Ukraine.
Meanwhile the U.S. got one of its major objectives — stronger NATO — with the Nordics part of this alliance — very relevant as the Arctic sea routes open up.
On the other side, Russia is gladly lengthening this war, depleting Ukraine and Europe of their weapon reserves, while the old Soviet weapon factories get reactivated — Russia is self-sustained in this conflict, thus the failure of Western sanctions. Russia is a commodities super power.
Russia also probably nudged and winked at Iran/Hamas/China to open up the Middle East theatre of war, sucking U.S. attention and war resources there.
China is busy dealing with their fragile economy and real-estate bust, while threatening Taiwan and other neighbors. Once they feel the U.S. is stuck in Ukraine, Middle East and internal issues, and won't come to Taiwan's aid, they'll make their moves.
Middle East is happily selling Oil at higher prices and raking in the profits. India, Central Asia and similar countries are making profits buying from Russia and selling to Europe.
This whole thing is a joke.
Hamas, Israel and Ukraine are pawns, they are getting used by both sides, the real war is West vs. Russia+China.
Meanwhile "the neutrals" Gulf countries, India, Central Asia, Africa etc. are trying to make a quick profit where they see opportunity.
You are right, but unfortunately not much could be done just now.
Unfortunately, NATO or other Western collective structures, could not totally neutralize Asia threat for now, because of lack of resources - Asia is just too big, just China and India is more than 2 Billions people (plus add about 500 millions in Africa and few billions in other Asia smaller countries), and all West is about 1 Billion.
To win, usually West (last times Europe or Europe-US block), implemented new technology, which unfortunately was two purpose (semi-military), and win all wars against Asia and then made economy win. Examples are: combustion engine (some time steam engine) and railroad, automobile, aviation and rocketry, leaded gas, plastics, electronics and computers; now West still have huge advantage in education and in governance, especially, in near all Asia (except Japan) just don't exist local governments.
Then usually happen diffusion of technologies to Asia, and once West lost their advantage, for short time, before new win technology appear.
And we now just in this transition period, which began approx in 2008, and should last to 2030s, I think.
BTW, this was predicted, but unfortunately nobody considered China rise. Prediction was, that next tech circle should begin in ~2018 with total lead of West, but totalitarian China grew up much faster than usual democracy economy. and China literally consumed resources, which West considered to use for grow.
And at the transition period, while we make r&d, while we build new infrastructure for new winning technology (most probably next will be robotics/AI), we should keep calm and work, but also good if we will use already existing conflicts inside Asia and seed new conflicts.
What I mean, yes, India claimed their neutrality and constantly use this claimed neutrality as fig leaf to cover their collaboration with Russia.
But India is really have huge misunderstanding with China, and we must use this, to make China weaker.
And sure, don't forget to support Ukraine. Not just donates to Ukrainian defense, but every business contract with Ukrainians, every hire of Ukrainian dev, could help.
Thank you!