Putin’s visit reaffirms ties and tests India’s balancing act

The real test will come in the months ahead when deals need to be implemented and diplomacy must manage the reactions of other major powers. How India handles that task will say much about the shape of its international role in the years to come – Siddharth Roy

Vladimir Putin’s two-day visit to New Delhi and the talks between India and Russia have produced a flurry of agreements and public signals that underline how important this relationship remains for both countries. The summit focused on energy security, defence cooperation, trade and wider diplomatic coordination. The leaders set out a clear agenda to deepen cooperation and to protect each other’s strategic interests even as global pressure mounts from other capitals. The visit matters because it shows India’s determination to keep a broad foreign policy and to protect its options at a time when geopolitics is increasingly fraught. 

Energy came first on the list. Russia offered to keep oil shipments steady and reliable, and both sides discussed long-term contracts for crude and gas to shield India from global price shocks. Ensuring reliable fuel and energy inputs is vital for the Indian economy. The summit underlined projects and commercial steps that aim to secure supplies and to expand joint ventures in energy and refining. These measures are meant to give India breathing room even as global energy markets remain unstable. 

Defence cooperation was another major strand of the talks. India and Russia reviewed existing contracts and discussed fresh possibilities for supply and joint production. Reports say Moscow put new offers on the table, including additional air defence regiments and cooperation on maintenance and upgrades of Russian-origin equipment in Indian service. For New Delhi such deals matter because a significant share of its defence inventory has Russian origins, and continuity of spares and upgrades is a practical security concern. The summit also opened talks on local manufacture and joint research that could boost India’s defence industrial base while keeping supply lines diversified. 

Trade and economic ties figured prominently as well. Both sides announced an economic cooperation programme to expand and diversify bilateral trade with an ambitious target to increase commerce significantly by 2030. Agreements were signed covering agriculture, fertilisers, shipping, health and cultural exchange. There was talk of easing visa rules for Russian tourists and facilitating labour mobility. The aim is to move beyond a narrow transactional relationship to a broader partnership that brings business and jobs to both countries. 

The leaders also touched on nuclear cooperation and civil projects. India and Russia reviewed ongoing work at the Kudankulam nuclear power project and discussed ways to speed up cooperation in areas of strategic technology. Such cooperation is sensitive, but it offers India access to technology and long-term energy options that are hard to replace quickly. 

Beyond specific agreements, the symbolic value of the visit is important. This was Putin’s first state visit to India since major global tensions reshaped world politics. It reaffirmed the so-called special and privileged partnership that New Delhi and Moscow often describe. For India the visit underlined the logic of strategic autonomy. New Delhi has expanded ties with the United States in recent years, but it has never fully abandoned its long-standing partnership with Russia. The summit made clear that India intends to keep multiple cards on the table rather than commit to exclusive alignments. 

The timing of the visit adds a sharper frame because relations between India and the United States have seen strains recently. The summit came after public tensions with the Trump-led US administration over trade and tariff measures and over political pressure aimed at curbing India’s energy purchases from Russia. In this context the Russia visit sends a message that India will not be forced into binary choices. New Delhi wants to safeguard its energy security and its strategic independence even while it seeks to manage ties with Washington. That balancing act is not easy, and it will test Indian diplomacy in the months ahead. 

There are practical risks and consequences that come with this balancing. Closer ties with Russia may complicate certain trade discussions with the US and Western partners. It may draw criticism and even punitive measures where geopolitical rivalry is intense. India must therefore calibrate every agreement so that it secures domestic benefits while minimising diplomatic fallout. Transparency, clear commercial terms and adherence to international norms will matter if New Delhi wants to avoid being cornered by competing pressures. 

At the same time there are clear gains. The energy deals and defence cooperation provide India with short-term security and supply certainty. Trade and labour arrangements can boost growth and jobs. Joint projects can deliver technology transfer and industrial development. The visit may also strengthen India’s voice in global diplomacy by allowing it to coordinate positions with a major Eurasian power on issues ranging from regional security to reform of global institutions. 

If New Delhi is to make the most of this moment, it must combine pragmatism with prudence. Agreements must have clear timelines and economic benefits. Defence deals should include clauses for local production and technology sharing. Energy contracts should be commercially sound and avoid creating unsustainable dependence. And in all dealings, India should communicate clearly with other partners so that its intent to maintain diversified ties is understood and not misread as hostility or unreliability. 

Putin’s visit was therefore more than a diplomatic formality. It was a reaffirmation of an old partnership at a time of new pressures. For India this is an opportunity to secure immediate national needs while reinforcing a foreign policy that prizes independence. For the wider world it is a reminder that power is not organised in simple blocs and that rising nations will seek multiple partnerships to protect their interests. The real test will come in the months ahead when deals need to be implemented and diplomacy must manage the reactions of other major powers. How India handles that task will say much about the shape of its international role in the years to come.

(The author can be reached at siddharth001.roy@gmail.com.)