Modi Putin meeting in Moscow | What it means to the World
Faced with increasing Western hostility, President Putin has developed closer ties with Beijing. This development has not gone unnoticed in India, China’s long-time rival. A deadly brawl on the disputed border in Ladakh in June 2020 escalated tensions between India and China.
India fears being left out of the Moscow-Beijing equation. “Delhi is keeping the Russia channel open to maintain friendship and avoid further aggravating Russia’s drift into Chinese arms caused by US and Western policies,” says Saran.
Though India has diversified its weapons inventory, it still relies heavily on Moscow. Concerns have arisen about the Ukraine war's impact on Russia's defense exports. “There are reports of delays in spare parts and the delivery of the remaining S-400 anti-missile defense system. This will be discussed during the visit,” says Anil Trigunayat, a former ambassador and Distinguished Fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation in Delhi.
Delhi and Moscow also face challenges, including cases of Indian nationals lured with false job promises and ending up fighting for the Russian army in Ukraine. Four Indians have died in the conflict. Modi will press his Russian counterparts for an early discharge of Indians still fighting in the war.
India needs both the US and Russia to counter China, striking a balance to avoid offending either. “India follows a policy of strategic autonomy and multi-alignments. We have strategic relationships with both the US and Russia. These are mutually exclusive partnerships,” says Trigunayat.
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