What Is Putin’s Agenda on His Visit to India?

Amid rising tensions with Europe, Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in India for a two-day visit to Delhi. According to British media outlet BBC, the primary focus of the visit is oil and arms deals.

Before Putin even set foot in India, the Russian parliament approved a major military agreement with India. The deal allows both countries’ armed forces to provide logistical support to each other, enabling military personnel from one nation to use the infrastructure of the other.

Geopolitical analysts suggest that the state visit is largely aimed at military cooperation and tapping into India’s huge market. India, with its population exceeding 1.4 billion, strategic location, and recent geopolitical complexities, has become increasingly important for Russia.

During the visit, President Putin is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attend the annual bilateral summit. Multiple trade and cooperation agreements between Delhi and Moscow are expected to be signed during the visit.

However, the visit comes at a tense time, with both nations under Western pressure. The United States has recently urged India to reduce oil imports from Russia while also engaging in talks to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Russia has been India’s close partner for decades. Putin and Modi share a warm personal relationship. India represents a major market for Russian products and energy, particularly oil. Before the Ukraine war, only 2.5 per cent of India’s oil imports came from Russia, but after the conflict and Western sanctions, this rose to 35 per cent, benefiting India but angering Washington.

In October, the Trump administration imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, arguing that purchasing Russian oil was strengthening Kremlin’s war funding, which reduced India’s Russian oil orders. During this visit, Putin may prioritise increasing oil exports to India.

India has historically been a major buyer of Russian weapons. Ahead of the Modi meeting, Indian media reported that the country could purchase modern fighter jets and air defence systems from Russia.

Additionally, due to labour shortages in Russia, Indian skilled workers are seen as a potential resource. Russia also views India’s geographical position strategically. Western countries are attempting to isolate Russia because of the Ukraine war, and the Kremlin aims to counter this by strengthening ties with Asia. Putin’s India visit carries that message, according to BBC.

Three months ago, Putin visited China and posed for photographs with Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi. Analyst Andrei Kolesnikov believes that Russia’s estrangement from Europe has been a major setback, but Delhi and Moscow’s leaders are expected to strengthen cooperation across oil, defence, technology, and labour sectors.

Khaborwala/SS