In a sign that New Delhi has no plans to scale back relations with Moscow despite pressure from Western nations, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have agreed on deeper economic cooperation in order to expand their long-standing partnership.
During a two-day state visit — his first to India since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine — the two countries committed to pushing trade into new sectors, from agriculture to nuclear energy, and to reduce reliance on just oil and weapons deals.
India Rolls Out High-Level Welcome
He received one of the grandest welcomes accorded to any visiting leader in recent years. Landing to a warm embrace from Modi on the tarmac Thursday evening, he was honored on Friday with a 21-gun salute at Rashtrapati Bhavan, India’s presidential palace in New Delhi.
A large Russian delegation of business and government officials arrived with Putin, underscoring Moscow’s interest in accelerating trade and investment.
Trade Roadmap to 2030
India is currently the world’s largest buyer of Russian oil shipped by sea, and a major customer for Russian military equipment. Yet trade has been lopsided in Moscow’s favour, because of India’s huge energy imports.
Both sides declared a new economic cooperation program extending until 2030 – an effort to diversify the trading basket and correct the imbalance. By the end of the decade, Moscow has set itself the ambitious goal of scaling bilateral trade to $100 billion.
“We have agreed on an economic cooperation program up to 2030,” Modi said. “This will make our trade and investment more diversified, balanced and sustainable.” He described Russia as a “guiding star” in India’s foreign relations and hailed the decades-long strategic partnership forged on “mutual respect and deep trust.”
Energy, Nuclear Power, and New Industry Deals
Standing beside Modi during joint statements, Putin said Russia would ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies to India-a signal that Moscow was ready to defy U.S. sanctions. The Russian President also underlined progress on the Kudankulam nuclear power plant, which is expected to be India’s largest when completed.
Several agreements were signed, including:
A job mobility program that would allow Indian workers to avail job opportunities in Russia
Plans for a joint fertilizer plant on Russian soil
Increased cooperation between the health, agriculture, and shipping sectors
The leaders also agreed to modernize defense ties through joint production and research in India, with the aim of supporting New Delhi’s push for domestic manufacturing of military systems, spares, and technology.
Balancing U.S. Pressure and Russian Friendship
Putin’s visit comes at a delicate time for India. New Delhi is also in talks with Washington over reducing punitive tariffs originally introduced during Donald Trump’s presidency, including measures related to India’s purchase of Russian crude.
In a televised interview with India Today, Putin openly questioned Washington’s warnings to India over buying Russian fuel.
“If the U.S. has the right to buy our nuclear fuel, why shouldn’t India enjoy the same privilege?” he said, adding he would raise the issue with Trump.
A Strategic Tightrope
India is under increased geopolitical pressure as a result of seeking to maintain relations with both Russia and the United States amid Western nations trying to isolate Moscow since the Ukraine war. The U.S. and European Union still buy billions of dollars in Russian energy and raw materials.
India significantly raised imports of discounted Russian crude after Europe started cutting reliance due to the conflict in Ukraine. But those purchases fell this year after U.S. sanctions and tariff threats.
Analysts say India’s position is becoming increasingly complicated.
“By taking steps to strengthen ties with Moscow or Washington, New Delhi risks setting back ties with the other,” said Michael Kugelman of the Atlantic Council in Foreign Policy magazine. Resilient Partnership Amid Global Uncertainty A joint statement after the summit underscored that cooperation between India and Russia “remains resilient to external pressure” and that both governments intend to preserve their strategic partnership, even as global politics become increasingly unpredictable. The message is clear: India intends to keep multiple global relationships open — even when rival powers demand otherwise.
