Monday marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled arrival in Russia. The Indian leader was attempting to walk a tightrope between preserving his long-standing friendship with Moscow and pursuing deeper security ties with the West.
This is Modi’s first visit as the head of the most populous nation in the world since Russia began its assault in Ukraine and he was reinstated last month.
“I look forward to reviewing all aspects of bilateral cooperation with my friend President Vladimir Putin and sharing perspectives on various regional and global issues,” said Modi in a press release.
“We seek to play a supportive role for a peaceful and stable region.”
Although Moscow continues to be India’s principal source of inexpensive oil and weapons, its long-standing alliance with New Delhi has been harmed by the Kremlin’s estrangement from the West and growing closeness with Beijing.
While pushing India to break its connections to Russia, Western nations have also been strengthening their ties with the country in recent years as a counterbalance to China’s expanding influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Two years later, just weeks before Russia launched its war against Ukraine, Modi hosted Putin in New Delhi during his most recent visit to Russia in 2019.
Since then, India has refrained from denouncing Russia outright and has abstained from voting on UN resolutions denouncing Moscow.
However, India has also lost people as a result of Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.
In response to accusations that some of its people had been killed after being coerced into fighting in Ukraine, New Delhi stated in February that it was pressuring the Kremlin to return some of its residents who had enlisted in the Russian military for “support jobs.”
Moscow’s strengthening connections with China are another reason for worry.
China vehemently disputes accusations made by Washington and the European Union that it sold parts and equipment that bolstered Russia’s military industry.
China and India are fierce competitors vying for control over South Asia’s geopolitical landscape.
Along with the US, Japan, and Australia, India forms the Quad alliance, which stands in opposition to China’s increasing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific area.
