Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to arrive in New Delhi for a two-day visit starting Thursday, aiming to strengthen long-standing defence cooperation and boost energy exports to India. The trip comes at a time when Moscow is looking to revive its market presence amid tightening Western sanctions and growing competition from U.S. suppliers.
India has long relied on Russian military hardware and has become a major buyer of discounted Russian oil since the Ukraine conflict began in 2022. However, India’s crude imports from Russia are expected to fall to a three-year low this month due to stricter sanctions and increased purchases of American oil.
Putin’s high-profile delegation includes Defence Minister Andrei Belousov and top executives from major Russian banks, defence firms, and sanctioned oil giants such as Rosneft and GazpromNeft.
Key Focus Areas of the Visit
Analysts suggest that the visit is more than symbolic. New Delhi and Moscow are expected to advance multiple agreements:
- New arms deals, potentially including additional S-400 air defence units and discussions around Russia’s advanced Su-57 fighter jet
- Energy collaboration, with Russia seeking India’s assistance in securing spare parts and technical support for its oil sector
- Trade expansion, including progress toward a Free Trade Agreement between India and the Eurasian Economic Union
- Civil nuclear cooperation, an area both nations aim to expand
- Restoration of ONGC Videsh’s 20% stake in Russia’s Sakhalin-1 project
Despite growing ties, Indian officials remain cautious about potential backlash from U.S. President Donald Trump, who earlier doubled tariffs on Indian products in response to New Delhi’s Russian crude purchases.
Defence Ties to Continue
India maintains that it has no plans to scale back military cooperation with Russia, as many of its active systems—including the Sukhoi-30 fleet—depend on Russian support. While Moscow has pushed the Su-57 fighter jet for consideration, Indian officials say no final decision has been taken.
Meanwhile, Indian refiners like Indian Oil Corp and Bharat Petroleum are beginning to place fresh orders for December and January from non-sanctioned Russian suppliers, taking advantage of widening discounts.
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