Narendra Modi, Indian Prime Minister Meets with Russian President, Vladimir Putin Amid Ukraine Crisis and Global Tensions
Fiona Nanna, ForeMedia News
4 minutes read. Updated 3:00PM GMT Mon, 10 July, 2024
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is under intense scrutiny from his Western allies as he meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. This visit marks Modi’s first foreign trip since he assumed office for a third term in June, coinciding with a NATO summit in Washington focused heavily on the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On Monday, just hours after Russian bombing killed at least 41 people in Ukraine, including at a children’s hospital in Kyiv, Modi landed in Moscow. The visit comes at a time of heightened global tension, with photos showing a beaming Modi embracing the Russian president. A video of a smiling Putin referring to Modi as “my dearest friend” has gone viral in India, stirring mixed reactions.
India, a significant global economy, maintains strategic ties with both Russia and the United States. Indian officials have downplayed questions regarding the timing of Modi’s visit, insisting that the annual summit is part of a longstanding partnership and not linked to the NATO summit. However, the US has expressed concerns, urging Modi to highlight Ukraine’s territorial integrity during his discussions in Moscow.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated, “We urge India, as we do any country engaging with Russia, to make clear that any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine needs to respect the UN charter, Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and sovereignty.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced his disappointment, calling Modi’s meeting with Putin “a devastating blow to peace efforts.” Modi responded by offering India’s assistance in establishing peace in Ukraine, emphasizing that war is not a solution and expressing deep sorrow over the loss of lives, particularly children, in the conflict.
The NATO summit in Washington, marking the 75th anniversary of the defense alliance, focuses on opposition to Moscow’s actions in Ukraine. Meanwhile, India has refrained from explicitly criticizing Putin, advocating for dialogue and diplomacy instead.
Despite Western sanctions aimed at isolating Russia, Putin continues to engage with leaders of key nations like China, India, and Turkey. This raises questions about whether Modi’s presence in Moscow benefits Putin. Indian foreign ministry official Vinay Kwatra dismissed any strategic connection between Modi’s visit and the NATO summit, attributing it to scheduling priorities.
India and Russia have a long history of defense and strategic relations dating back to the Cold War. Russia remains a crucial supplier of weapons to India, which has significant border disputes with Pakistan and China. The relationship extends beyond defense, with Russia providing technical assistance for India’s nuclear power plants and India purchasing discounted oil from Russia amidst Western sanctions.
Driven by a surge in the purchase of oil, bilateral trade between India and Russia in the last few years has soared to $65 billion (£50.76 billion), with India’s exports to Russia standing at just $4 billion. Addressing this trade imbalance and encouraging Russian investment in India are key priorities for Modi during this visit.
The West, particularly the US, has cultivated closer ties with India as a counterbalance to China’s growing influence. However, Putin’s closer ties with Beijing have not gone unnoticed in India, given its longstanding rivalry with China.
A deadly clash on the disputed border in Ladakh in 2020, resulting in the deaths of Indian and Chinese soldiers, heightened tensions between the two nations. India fears being excluded from the Moscow-Beijing axis and seeks to maintain a balanced relationship with both the US and Russia to counter China’s influence.
India’s policy of strategic autonomy and multi-alignments allows it to maintain mutually exclusive partnerships with the US and Russia. Despite diversifying its weapons inventory, India still relies heavily on Russian arms, and the Ukraine war has impacted defense supplies.
Indian officials insist that during this visit, Modi will press for the early discharge of Indians reportedly fighting for Russia in Ukraine under false pretenses. India’s need to balance its relationships with both the US and Russia is crucial to counter its rival, China.
For more insights on India’s strategic maneuvers in international diplomacy, read here.
