Putin's First Visit to India Since the War in Ukraine, Discussing Defense and Trade with Modi

AFP, New Delhi, Thursday, December 04, Russian President Putin arrived in India for a two-day visit aimed at deepening defense cooperation. This visit comes as India faces significant pressure from the United States to stop buying oil from Russia.

This is Putin's first visit to India since the war in Ukraine, with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov accompanying him, and it is expected that discussions will focus on possible deals for fighter jets and air defense systems.

Before the visit, in an interview with "India Today," Putin said he was happy to meet "my friend" Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Our cooperation with India is very broad," he mentioned in the interview, including areas such as shipbuilding, aircraft manufacturing, nuclear energy, and space exploration.

Modi will host a private dinner for Putin on Thursday evening, followed by a summit meeting on Friday.

Aside from defense cooperation, trade relations will also be a key topic of discussion. India is walking a tightrope diplomatically - relying on strategic oil imports from Russia, while trying not to anger the Trump administration in tariff negotiations with the United States.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that expanding the supply of advanced S-400 air defense systems to Russia is an "important issue" on the agenda.

According to AFP, Indian media reports suggest that Russia may also propose joint production of Su-57 fighter jets.

India is one of the world's major arms importers, and Russia has long been its main supplier. However, New Delhi is seeking to diversify suppliers and enhance domestic production capabilities. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia's share in India's arms imports has dropped from 76% between 2009-2013 to 36% between 2019-2023.

Energy Imports

Before Putin's visit, Trump imposed a 50% tariff on most Indian products in August, citing that India continues to buy Russian oil - Washington believes this funds the war in Ukraine.

As the world's most populous country, India has become a major buyer of Russian oil, saving billions of dollars for itself while providing a much-needed export market for Russia, especially after the war severed its ties with traditional European buyers.

However, recently, India has reduced its crude oil imports from Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil under pressure.

The Indian government is concerned that any new energy or defense deals with Russia could anger Trump and affect trade negotiations with Washington.

Peskov said that Russia does not worry about U.S. tariffs. "We care about maintaining and increasing bilateral business volume with India, and we will not allow anyone to interfere," he said at a press briefing organized by Russian State News Agency's Indian branch on Tuesday.

Southdan Unnikrishnan of the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi told AFP, "Under U.S. pressure, India may reduce energy procurement, but the overall direction of bilateral relations will remain unchanged because both countries have strategic needs at the top level."

"Critical Moment"

An unnamed senior Indian Ministry of External Affairs official said it is necessary to "find a way" to address trade imbalances.

Bilateral trade in the 2024-25 fiscal year reached $68.7 billion, nearly six times the pre-pandemic level, but Indian exports accounted for only $4.88 billion.

India has been pushing Russia to expand market access in key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, automobiles, and services.

Professor Harsheet Pant from King's College London said this visit is "an attempt by the two countries to restart their relationship during a critical geopolitical moment." "For India, the symbolic significance of this visit is to demonstrate its intention to pursue strategic autonomy, while Putin's rare visit sends a signal of the importance of bilateral relations," Pant told AFP.

An Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs official described the Russia-India relationship as "one of the most stable relationships in modern history," acknowledging the global geopolitical significance of this meeting, but emphasizing that it should be seen as "another annual summit."

Sources: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1850588503498752/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author."