Indo-Russian Strategic Ties Deepen Amid Geopolitical Headwinds

New Delhi : #RussianPresident #VladimirPutin is set to arrive in New Delhi this evening for a high-stakes, nearly 27-hour visit, culminating in the 23rd annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. This visit underscores the enduring nature of the India-Russia partnership, which has remained resilient despite an increasingly complex and fractured geopolitical environment.

The summit's agenda is packed, focusing intensely on boosting defence cooperation, ensuring the insulation of bilateral trade from external geopolitical pressures, and exploring new avenues like collaboration on small modular reactors (SMRs). The discussions come at a time when India's relations with the United States have reportedly hit a rough patch, adding a layer of urgency and significance to the New Delhi talks, which Western capitals will be monitoring closely.

Defence and Trade Take Center Stage
Boosting defence ties remains a cornerstone of the partnership. Ahead of the summit, the defence ministers of both nations will hold talks focusing on the expedited supply of military hardware and potentially, the procurement of additional batches of the formidable S-400 missile defence system, which proved highly effective in Operation Sindoor. Furthermore, the possibility of Russia supplying Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets to India is also expected to be on the table.

A significant challenge to be addressed is the escalating trade deficit heavily favouring Russia, primarily due to India's substantial import of Russian crude oil. New Delhi is eager to boost its exports—particularly pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food products, and consumer goods—to Russia to balance the trade figures. The two sides are also expected to discuss the impact of recent US sanctions on Indian procurement of Russian crude oil, with Russia having reportedly offered additional discounts to mitigate the effect of the sanctions. Bilateral energy ties, including Russia's significant annual supply of fertilizers, are also slated for discussion.

Dialogue Amidst Global Tensions
President Putin's trip takes place against the backdrop of renewed diplomatic efforts by the US to bring an end to the conflict in Ukraine. The issue is certain to feature prominently in the summit talks, where Putin is expected to brief Modi on the latest developments. India has consistently advocated for a resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, a stance it is expected to reiterate.

Following the main summit, the two leaders are expected to finalize a plethora of agreements. Key among these are pacts concerning the facilitation of movement for Indian workers to Russia and an agreement on logistical support under the defence framework. Discussions are also likely to touch upon New Delhi's proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Eurasian Economic Union.

The Russian leader's schedule is set to be tight. Arriving on Thursday evening, he will be hosted by PM Modi for a private dinner, a reciprocation of a gesture made during Modi's Moscow visit last year. Friday’s events include a ceremonial welcome, the summit at Hyderabad House, a visit to Rajghat, and the launch of the new India channel of the Russian state-run broadcaster. The visit will conclude with a state banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu, before the Russian leader departs New Delhi at around 9 pm on Friday. The annual summits, held alternately in the two capitals, serve as the highest mechanism for reviewing and deepening this critical relationship.

(PTI News)