Context

• Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in early December for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit drew intense international attention.
• While India viewed the visit as part of a long-standing bilateral process, the West saw it through the prism of the Russia-Ukraine war and the diplomatic boycott imposed on Moscow since 2022.
• The visit ultimately reaffirmed India’s commitment to strategic autonomy, while revealing both continuity and subtle recalibration in India–Russia ties.

Historical Foundations of a Strategic Partnership

• India–Russia relations are anchored in deep historical trust and shared strategic interests.
• Meetings between leaders of the two countries have often reshaped regional geopolitics, most notably the 1971 India-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation.
• That agreement decisively altered South Asia’s strategic balance, enabling India’s victory over Pakistan and the emergence of Bangladesh.
• Beyond landmark treaties, symbolic and substantive gestures have sustained mutual confidence, such as President Putin’s 2009 decision to waive penalties to facilitate India’s acquisition of its second aircraft carrier.
• Over decades, Russia’s consistent support, especially during periods when the West aligned with Pakistan, cemented a relationship based on mutual accommodation and reliability.
• Since the Gorbachev era and under President Putin’s long tenure, successive Indian Prime Ministers have strengthened this partnership.

Ukraine, the West, and India’s Strategic Autonomy

• The Russia-Ukraine conflict posed a critical test for India-Russia relations.
• India maintained neutrality and refused to align with Western efforts to isolate Russia, a stance that has caused persistent friction with the U.S. and the European Union.
• Against this backdrop, President Putin’s visit acquired heightened symbolic significance.
• Western expectations that global political shifts, U.S. tariffs on Indian purchases of Russian oil, and diplomatic pressure might weaken India-Russia ties were not borne out.
• The warmth displayed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Putin, coupled with extensive media coverage, underscored continuity rather than divergence.

The Joint Statement: Continuity with Subtle Nuances

• The Joint Statement issued after the summit reaffirmed the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, marking 25 years of formal strategic cooperation.
• It reiterated mutual trust, respect for core national interests, and the intention to strengthen traditional areas while exploring new avenues.
• Particular emphasis was placed on connectivity initiatives, including the Northern Sea Route through the Arctic and the Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor, alongside enhanced technological and industrial cooperation.
• The optics of the visit-public warmth, coordinated messaging, and expanded cooperation-were widely viewed as successful.

Defence Ties: An Enduring but Questioned Pillar

• Despite these affirmations, the conspicuous absence of defence cooperation from the Joint Statement was striking.
• Defence has historically been the bedrock of India-Russia relations, especially during the Putin era.
• Whether this silence reflects deliberate diplomatic caution or a gradual shift in priorities remains open to interpretation.
• Nevertheless, defence cooperation remains central to India’s security architecture.
• Russia has been India’s most consistent and reliable supplier of advanced military systems, spanning land, sea, and air domains.
• Critical platforms include the S-400 air and missile defence system, the jointly developed BrahMos missile, Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft, T-90 tanks, and transport helicopters.
• These systems continue to form the core of India’s defence capabilities and have significantly enhanced operational effectiveness in recent conflicts.

Western Contradictions and Strategic Realities

• A shift away from Russia towards Western defence sources carries significant strategic risks. Western partners have historically proven inconsistent, particularly in South Asia.
• This concern is reinforced by recent U.S. decisions to approve major upgrade and sustainment packages for Pakistan’s F-16 fighter fleet, even as Washington publicly characterises U.S.-India ties as the defining relationship of the century.
• Such contradictions reinforce India’s strategic scepticism and highlight why Russia continues to be viewed as a trusted long-term partner.

Conclusion

• President Putin’s visit demonstrated the resilience and adaptability of India-Russia relations amid global turbulence.
• While the partnership remains robust and symbolically strong, the muted emphasis on defence suggests nuanced recalibration rather than rupture.
• India’s foreign policy continues to prioritise strategic autonomy, reliable partnerships, and long-term national interest, resisting pressure to conform to transient geopolitical alignments.