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Modi’s Moscow visit puts India’s Russia ties, geopolitical rebalancing in focus
- Indian’s prime minister is navigating a delicate dance between Russia, China and the West – as the US frets over sanctions compliance
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As tensions simmer on the global stage, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a high-stakes visit to Moscow, underscoring New Delhi’s delicate balancing act between Russia, China and the West.
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Modi’s two-day trip, beginning on Monday, aims to reaffirm India’s “special and privileged” strategic partnership with its long-standing ally, Russia. But it also signals India’s broader efforts to navigate the shifting geopolitical landscape, particularly as the United States intensifies scrutiny of nations doing business with Moscow in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Foreign policy expert Harsh V. Pant told This Week in Asia that Modi’s visit was an attempt to reassure Russia that India would continue to prioritise their relationship.
“Apart from the economic concerns between the two countries, India will also raise the issue of Indians fighting in the Ukraine war. So I think the optics of this [bilateral talk] are important,” Pant said.
Modi’s trip to Moscow, his first since 2015, marks a return to the India-Russia summits that were held annually until 2021. The prime minister last met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in 2022.
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Pant, vice-president for studies and foreign policy at the Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation think tank, said India is seeking to maintain open communication channels with Russia as Moscow’s relationship with Beijing deepens.
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