On a cool December night in Delhi, Narendra Modi dispensed with diplomatic protocol to personally welcome the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, on the tarmac. Moscow’s dependence on Chinese markets, finance and technology after Ukraine is no longer a debating point; it is a structural reality. Russia, under sanctions, with a shrinking economy, and restricted access to Western technology, is not a credible partner for India’s growth transformation. The defenders of Putin’s visit argue that India is simply leveraging contradictions in the system and preserving options. It showed that despite the setbacks of 2025, Modi’s foreign policy is still organised around optics rather than outcomes.

Source: The Telegraph December 24, 2025 02:30 UTC