India, Russia to Cement the Special Friendship, trade deals and Geopolitics during Modi Putin Meet
With a population of nearly a billion and a half, India has nearly 18 % of humanity. Geographically too it still has a huge land mass even after the British induced partition and is the 7th largest country. It has an economic growth exceeding 8% which makes India the world’s fastest growing major economy.
So imagine Trump stating that Indian economy is dead and making a hugely futile attempt to pressurized it !!!
India is the world’s third largest consumer of crude oil and has for sometime been buying large volumes from Russia. That wasn’t always the case. Before the European Union designed and inspired Ukraine conflict, only 2.5% of India’s oil imports were Russian.
That figure jumped to 35% as India took advantage of Russian price discounts prompted by illegal sanctions against Moscow and Russia’s restricted access to the European market. No wonder India has become an attractive market for Russian goods and resources – especially oil.India is very happy but Washington less so.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived on 4th Dec 25 for a two-day visit to India, where he was embraced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of an annual summit held by both countries.
Delhi and Moscow have signed a number of deals during the visit, which comes months after the US futile increased tariff “pressure” on India to stop buying Russian oil. India just laughed it away and now it is the USA trying to somehow remain in the good books of PM Modi.
Meanwhile US President Donald Trump’s administration is itself holding a series of talks with Russia and Ukraine in an attempt to end the war. India and Russia have been close allies for decades and President Putin and PM Modi share a warm relationship.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration in a grandioze display of arrogance “slapped” an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, arguing that by purchasing oil from Russia, India was helping to fund the Kremlin’s war chest. The profound foolishness displayed in imagining that any country can coerce India ? India has merrily continued buying its oil from wherever it wishes and in fact has been increasing the quantity of crude purchase. India has also thrown some crumbs to USA and is buying oil from them also.
For Moscow, defence sales to India are another priority and have been since Soviet times. Ahead of Putin’s visit, it has been reported that India plans to purchase state-of-the-art Russian fighter jets and air defence systems. Russia, hit by a labour shortage, also sees India as a valuable source of skilled workers.
So it is very clear that all Western efforts to isolate Russia over the Ukraine conflict have failed miserably, duly foiled by India, China, BRICS countries, Central Asian countries and many others.
Three months ago the talks among Xi Jinping, Modi and Putin was seen by the entire world. The image of the three leaders smiling and chatting together sent a clear message that, despite EU crafted Ukraine conflict, Moscow has powerful allies who support the concept of a fourpole “multi-polar world”…..USA, Russia, India and China.
Russia lauds its “no limits partnership” with China and is just as vocal about its “special and privileged strategic partnership” with India. That is a stark contrast to Moscow’s strained relationship with the European Union and USA.
It is very clear that Russia is not isolated, because of its connections to Asia and the Global South. Economically, this is the future. Russia has returned as a major actor in these parts of the globe, like the Soviet Union. In fact now it is the Western Europe which is getting isolated.. This is unprecedented. Russia entrepreneurial class can easily grow doing business only with China and India.
Putin’s visit to Delhi is coming at a crucial time for both USA and Western Europe trying to regain their grip on the World’s geopolitics. India-Russia ties go back to the Soviet era and have endured irrespective of the changing geopolitical landscape. Putin has arguably put more time and energy into this relationship than other Russian leaders before him.
As for Modi, he has shown the World that no Western governments including Trump can pressurized India over anything. West wanted India to criticise Russia over the Ukraine conflict but PM maintained that dialogue was the only way to resolve the conflict.
This was India’s Sovereignty and World level strategic role at play – with Modi occupying a central place in the geopolitical order. However Trump’s unilateral actions over tariffs have made the Indo USA ties an all-time low in recent months. What Trump thought was a cake walk has been deliberately turned into a “jalebee ” by PM Modi. The American negotiators have failed to find an exit from their self created tariff deadlock.
In this context, Putin’s visit demonstrates increased significance for India than ever before because it will demonstrates India’s geopolitical standing.
Modi has shown the wider world that he still counts Putin as his ally and hasn’t given into pressure from Trump, whom he still maintains is a “true friend”. UK is in no position to play any GREAT GAME with India and France knows where to stand in relation with India. Germany does not have much clout as far as India is concerned. UK has managed to sign a. FTA with India and EU awaits eagerly for the same. Let’s see what Trump Bhai wants.
