- India and Russia’s robust defence collaboration, constituting 60 to 70 per cent of India’s defence supplies, underscores their evolving partnership from buyer-seller to joint research and development.
- The visit of EAM Jaishankar to Moscow should not be viewed solely through the lens of India’s relations with the US and the West.
- India’s partnerships with the US, the West, and Russia are based on their strengths, serving national interests while contributing to regional and global security, stability, and prosperity.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar commenced his five-day visit to Russia on December 26, engaging with the country’s strategic community to deliberate on regional conflicts, connectivity, and multilateralism. His itinerary includes discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on economic engagement. In a statement, Jaishankar emphasized the significance of rebalancing and the emergence of multipolarity, asserting that geopolitics and strategic convergence will perpetuate positive ties between India and Russia.
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence for the second consecutive year from the annual summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin raises eyebrows. This deviation follows the last summit in December 2021, with no meeting in 2022. Moreover, Putin skipped the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi in September 2023 and the SCO Summit held virtually.
Jaishankar shared a nostalgic childhood memory upon landing, recalling a visit to Russia in 1962. He posted an entry pass from the Red Square commemoration for the first Russian cosmonauts, juxtaposed with a current picture, symbolizing “How it started” and “How it is going.”
Concerns persist over the rupee-rouble payment mechanism amid surging Russian oil imports, bilateral trade growth, and defence equipment delays. Discussions during the visit are expected to centre around these issues, as well as the India-Eurasia Economic Union free trade agreement. Bilateral trade between India and Russia from April 2020 to March 2021 amounted to $8.1 billion, with contrasting figures reported by Russian data.
India and Russia’s robust defence collaboration, constituting 60 to 70 per cent of India’s defence supplies, underscores their evolving partnership from buyer-seller to joint research and development. Despite securing discounted Russian oil amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, India adopted a nuanced stance, condemning the Bucha massacre and expressing concern over Russian nuclear remarks, while advocating for diplomatic resolutions.
Minister Jaishankar meets with Minister Lavrov
Also on December 27th External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, and he talked about how the friendship between India and Russia is really strong. He mentioned that our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and their President, Vladimir Putin, talk frequently. Jaishankar pointed out that this was their seventh meeting this year, and they often meet at forums like G20, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, ASEAN, and BRICS. These meetings help them stay in touch and work together.
In this meeting, they focused on how India and Russia can help each other in different areas. They also talked about what’s happening globally, like conflicts and challenges faced by developing countries. Another important topic was how the world can have more than one powerful country, making things fair for everyone. Jaishankar shared that they have been working together in various ways this year. He mentioned events like the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and the Far Eastern Economic Forum, where they discussed important things. Also, they signed agreements about building new parts for a nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu.
India is buying more oil from Russia showing that the friendship between the two is still important. The government says that India and Russia have a strong friendship, and they keep working together in special ways.
Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov and Jaishankar had a meeting before, where they talked about how India and Russia can do more economic activities together. This includes important things like energy and power. The Minister from Russia, Lavrov, said that the friendship between India and Russia is old and still going strong. He is happy to see how well things are moving forward. It’s interesting that despite some issues in the world, India and Russia continue to be friends. India hasn’t said anything bad about Russia, even though some other countries have.
During Jaishankar’s visit, India is buying more oil from Russia showing that the friendship between the two is still important. The government says that India and Russia have a strong friendship, and they keep working together in special ways.
In short, the leaders of India and Russia met again, talked about their strong friendship, and discussed how they can help each other in different things. They also talked about what’s happening in the world and how to make things better for everyone. This friendship between India and Russia is old but still very strong.
Jaishankar meets President Putin
Minister Jaishankar after he met with his counterpart Minister Lavrov, met with President Putin. President Putin welcomed the Indian delegates to Russia where he hailed the Indian- Russian relationship, he also had a special message to PM Modi as he sent his greetings to PM Modi and invited him to visit Russia.
Implications on India’s relations with the West
Minister Jaishankar’s Russian visit had triggered speculations in the media about India’s relations with the West, particularly the US, supposedly entering a rocky phase due to allegations of India’s involvement in a plot to assassinate an American citizen, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a declared terrorist in India.
Contrary to these speculations, India’s relations with the US remain robust. Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized in a recent interview that the relationship continues on an “upward trajectory” and is characterized by broad engagement, deep understanding, and warmer friendship than ever before. He urged not to let isolated incidents jeopardize the overall positive trajectory of the relationship.
India’s ties with the United States have consistently strengthened since President Bill Clinton visited India in March 2000. The bipartisan support for this partnership in both countries has been evident, reaching a significant milestone during Prime Minister Modi’s State visit to Washington DC in June 2023.
Despite the overall positive trajectory, differences between India and the West have emerged, such as their opposing views on Russia’s actions in Ukraine. India, while not criticizing Russia, emphasized the importance of respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity. Additionally, pressure from the West regarding India’s import of crude from Russia was addressed by highlighting India’s energy needs and historical defence ties with Russia.
Minister Jaishankar's Russian visit had triggered speculations in the media about India's relations with the West, particularly the US, supposedly entering a rocky phase due to allegations of India's involvement in a plot to assassinate an American citizen, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a declared terrorist in India.
The abrupt withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan in 2021 and the US grant to Pakistan for upgrading its F-16 fleet in 2022 were points of contention. India criticized these decisions, reflecting occasional divergences in views. However, both countries have managed such differences through discussions with maturity and mutual respect.
In the recent case of the alleged plot to assassinate Pannun, the US administration has known about it since July, but public disclosure only occurred in November 2023. Both countries have handled the matter responsibly, treating it as a law and order issue without letting it adversely impact bilateral ties.
In contrast, the accusations made by Canada, alleging India’s involvement in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, lacked evidence. Prime Minister Trudeau’s statements without proof strained Canada-India relations, highlighting the importance of evidence-based diplomatic discourse.
India’s relations with other Western countries, including G7 nations, Germany, France, Japan, Italy, and Australia, have remained dynamic. High-level visits in both directions underscore the strength of these ties. Additionally, India maintains a special partnership with Russia, evident through regular meetings between Jaishankar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
In conclusion, the visit of External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to Moscow should not be viewed solely through the lens of India’s relations with the US and the West. India’s partnerships with the US, the West, and Russia are based on their strengths, serving national interests while contributing to regional and global security, stability, and prosperity. The visit emphasizes the multifaceted nature of India’s diplomatic engagements.
(Srijan Kumar is currently pursuing a PhD in South Asian studies from Delhi University. He is a writer and a columnist for various digital media houses. Opinions expressed are the author’s own)
Dr. Niranjan B Poojar 
Bhagyashree Gupta 
Balaji Subramanian