Putin arrives in Delhi for key Modi summit as India balances US pressure, Russian oil ties, defence deals and shifting global power politics. Photo: ANI, X.
Putin India Visit: Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to arrive in New Delhi on Thursday for a summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with trade and defence cooperation topping the agenda. This is Putin’s first visit to India since the Russia-Ukraine War began nearly four years ago. His last trip to India was in December 2021.
However, PM Modi and President Putin last met on September 1 this year on the sidelines of the SCO Heads of State Council Meeting in Tianjin, China. The two leaders have also spoken five times over the phone in 2025.
Putin’s visit comes at a moment when India has been continuously targeted by US President Donald Trump. US President has accused India of funding Russia’s war in Ukraine. This has created a tightrope situation for India. On one side is Russia, a long-time strategic partner offering cheap oil, potential advanced fighter jets, and a relationship rooted in the Cold War. On the other hand is the United States, seeking deeper collaboration in technology and trade while pressing India to reduce dependence on Moscow.
The US is also negotiating a trade deal with New Delhi after imposing steep 50% tariffs, half of which targeted India’s continued imports of discounted Russian crude.
US has urged India to purchase more American military equipment. India is reportedly in advanced negotiations with Washington on a trade agreement, but observers say an overt display of closeness with Moscow could complicate that push.
India has continued to import discounted Russian oil throughout the Ukraine war, though volumes have recently declined due to US surcharges and sanctions on Russian producers Rosneft and Lukoil.
Historically, India relied heavily on Middle Eastern suppliers, with Russian crude forming only a small share of its total imports until 2022. That changed after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and the G7-imposed price cap, turning India into the world’s largest buyer of seaborne Russian crude. The rise aligned with the Biden administration’s strategy of keeping global oil prices stable.
However, President Trump reversed this approach, launching a pressure campaign against Indian refiners and imposing sanctions on Rosneft PJSC and Lukoil PJSC to push Moscow toward negotiations. As a result, Russia’s shipments have sharply declined despite exporters offering steep discounts, as much as $7 per barrel below Brent for cargoes loading in December and arriving in January, the lowest price India has seen in two years.
Economic Stakes and Energy Dependencies
Putin’s visit is being closely monitored globally, with key questions looming. Will India scale back its Russian oil imports to ease tensions with Washington, or will it prioritise strategic autonomy? And how will New Delhi manage the competing demands of Moscow and the Trump administration?
Observers say Putin’s visit is not a nostalgic return to Cold War diplomacy. Instead, it is about the complexities of India’s diplomatic balancing act as it pushes itself through a transformed global order.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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