India Rolls Out Red Carpet for Russia’s Putin

AFP/APP

New Delhi: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit on Friday, with defence and trade ties expected to take centre stage as New Delhi faces mounting US pressure to halt its purchase of Russian oil.

Both leaders are set to discuss the geopolitical landscape following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as global trade disruptions triggered by tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.

Big-ticket defence deals, co-production ventures, energy purchases, and broader economic cooperation are on the agenda during Putin’s first visit to India since the Ukraine conflict began.

The visit comes as a symbolic reaffirmation of the India–Russia relationship, following Washington’s move in August to impose 50-percent tariffs on most Indian products, citing New Delhi’s continued imports of Russian oil — revenue the US argues sustains Moscow’s war effort.

“This visit is part of India’s diversification strategy, both strategic and economic, especially at a time when the US tariffs have hurt India,” Ashok Malik of The Asia Group told AFP.