Putin’s India Policy Decoded: How Moscow’s ‘Friendship’ Influences Delhi’s Strategic Future
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India has reignited global attention on Moscow’s long-standing “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” with New Delhi.
Putin has consistently described India as not just a close friend but a key strategic partner. His approach has ensured that India remains central to Russia’s defence vision. The BrahMos missile, now one of the world’s most sought-after precision strike systems, exemplifies this cooperation.
Although the foundational agreement for BrahMos was signed in 1998, it was only after Putin took office in 2000 that the project received decisive momentum, cutting through bureaucratic hurdles in Russia and leading to rapid joint development.
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Given this history, strategic observers believe Putin may offer India another major defence system during the ongoing visit, possibly the S-500 air-defence platform or the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jet.
Putin’s India policy began with his “Turn to East” doctrine in 2000, under which India was made the pivot of three major economic corridors. His admiration for India became clearer in a 2024 interview where he called India a “superpower,” praising its skilled population, rapid economic rise, and cultural depth.
Putin has repeatedly stood “shoulder to shoulder” with India, from helping expose Pakistan’s role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks to delivering the S-400 system despite US sanctions threats. India, in turn, maintained oil trade with Russia during the Ukraine conflict and declined US offers such as the F-35 in favour of strengthening Russian defence ties.
Accompanied by seven senior ministers, Putin’s visit underlines the depth of this strategic bond. As Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated, India eagerly awaited Putin’s arrival, and this visit is expected to open a new chapter in the enduring India-Russia partnership.
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