Russia has put its full backing behind India’s right to chart its own course. President Vladimir Putin was blunt: any US move to put the screws to New Delhi over its ties with Moscow will be for naught. On top of that, he put a number on the table – a goal of USD 100 billion in two-way trade down the line.
In front of the press in St. Petersburg, Putin put a positive spin on India’s dealings with Washington. He sees them as something you can add to your portfolio, not a head-on collision. In his view, India’s deepening bond with the US has not eroded the one it has with Russia for years.
There was some positioning in those comments, not just policy. Putin heaped praise on India’s economic drive and made it known that Moscow intends to see the relationship through, no matter the geopolitical noise around Russia’s other ventures.
Trade ambitions recalibrated
You could hear the intent for an economic upswing in Putin’s tone. ‘I am confident that Russia and India will reach USD 100 billion in bilateral trade in the coming years,’ he put it, making trade the bedrock of a more stable partnership.
He had good words for India’s numbers, too. ‘India is among world’s major economies and is currently demonstrating an impressive rate of economic growth,’ was his way of saying that size and momentum are pulling the two capitals together in business.
Strategic autonomy message to Washington
Then came the part aimed at the West. Putin said the US is at it again, trying to get India to change its tune on Russia. ‘US trying to pressure India including over cooperation with Russia; but it will resist such efforts.’ His point being, you can’t just push New Delhi around from the outside.
On the subject of leadership, he called it ‘useless to try to pressurise Prime Minister Narendra Modi.’ It’s a way of saying the Kremlin knows India’s decisions are about national interest, not which bloc you’re in.
Here is the gist of what he put on the record:
– US is after India on its Russia policy
– New Delhi won’t go for it
– Ties with the US don’t mean we lose our link with Russia
India-US ties seen as complementary
It’s not a zero-sum game, in Putin’s telling. The line from Moscow is steady: India’s work with the US is fine, it doesn’t touch the old ties we have here.
He left no room for doubt. ‘We will continue to develop our ties with India,’ he said. Any political hiccups on the global stage aren’t going to put a dent in that.
What to watch next
The $100 billion figure is the new standard for the economic side of things. India has been ramping up on energy and trade with us of late, and Putin’s words indicate that’s only going to keep happening as supply chains are reworked.
For New Delhi, the trick is to juggle these partnerships without a case of whiplash. For us, it’s a chance to spread our risk while we deal with the rest of the world.
This is more than for show. If we do hit that USD 100 billion mark, it will be proof of an economic alignment that can stand up to outside interference. We’re counting on India’s market and its independent streak to make that happen.
Washington should take note. We’re putting out there that their pressure doesn’t amount to much, and that India can have it both ways. Whether the talk of energy, tech and finance turns into hard numbers is what will tell the story.
For now, look for the trade figures and the kind of dialogue we’ve had before. The message from here is to play the long one: hold our ground, do business, and make sure India stays where it is in our plans for Asia.
