All the wavering on the nuclear deal is beginning to already impact UPA Government’s image abroad. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had an unusually “indifferent” stay in Russia recently. Not only did the Russian Foreign Minister not find time to meet him, he had to undergo security checks at the ceremonial lounge on his way back.

Mukherjee was in Moscow on October 11-13 for the annual meeting of the Indo-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission, which many in political circles believe could have been rescheduled by Mukherjee if Russian President Vladimir Putin was travelling and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was busy during that period.

Instead, sources said, the visit was one of the reasons behind pushing the UPA-Left Committee meeting on nuclear deal until after Dussehra puja on October 22.

If not being able to meet key Russian leaders was not frustrating enough, Mukherjee is said to have faced the embarrassment of having to undergo security checks at the ceremonial lounge while leaving Moscow.

Usually, visiting dignitaries are exempt from this. While the sources indicated that the External Affairs Minister was “frisked”, other officials accompanying him claimed that he had to go through routine security checks.

India is believed to have taken serious note of the matter and the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been asked to raise this with their Russian counterparts. The initial view was that, perhaps, Moscow wanted to show annoyance over delays in defence contracts. But given that Defence Minister A K Antony is now in Moscow to convey that India is willing to settle the annual price escalation row in Moscow’s favour at the rate of 5 per cent, the reasons lie elsewhere.

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