India-Russia ties: why Putin-Modi arms deals are a problem for both China and the United States

Since the start of the Ukraine crisis, Russia has been getting closer to China. Yet now Moscow is selling India weapons likely to be pointed in Beijing’s direction

The US, too, will feel aggrieved, as such deals will make it hard for it to ask New Delhi to join in sanctions against Moscow for its actions in the Crimea

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi embrace in New Delhi. Photo: EPA

Published: 6:00pm, 12 Dec 2021

India and Russia’s historically close relationship has been complicated by geopolitical realities but last week’s summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin demonstrated the extent to which both sides intend to stay close, even if it risks rankling the United States and China.

Harsha Kakar, a retired major general in the Indian army, said the meeting proved that despite Russia’s close ties with China, and India’s with the West, and “regardless of whatever alignments the countries may be part of, a relationship that has been built up over the years should not be eroded due to geopolitical changes”.

Since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis in 2014, Russia has strengthened military and economic ties with China in response to the West’s condemnation of its seizure of the Crimea region and backing of a separatist rebellion in the east. The US recently warned Moscow it would face economic sanctions in the event of an attack on Ukraine.

India on the other hand has ramped up its alliances with Western nations, including joining the US-led Quad security alliance – alongside Japan and Australia – to counter China’s growing influence in the region. Indian and Chinese troops have also been locked in a stand-off at their shared border for the past 19 months.