Why Putin's India Visit Is Significant In Current Scenario Of US Tariff Row?
Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to visit New Delhi this year, as bilateral ties face heightened scrutiny from US President Donald Trump, who has imposed a 50% tariff on India over its continued purchase of Russian oil.
This would be Putin's first visit to India since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, prompting an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him over 'war crimes" in 2023. The ICC arrest warrant is widely seen as a key reason Putin has limited his international travel—particularly to ICC member states—though this does not apply to India, which is not a signatory to the Rome Statute.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has on several occasions advocated for peace and called for dialogue to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. PM Modi met Putin in Russia twice last year– first for the 22nd Annual Summit in July 2024 in Moscow and the second during the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan. PM Modi had hosted Putin in New Delhi in December 2021 for the 21st India–Russia Annual Summit.
Why Putin's India Visit Is Significant?
Putin's India visit comes at a crucial juncture as Trump continues to attack New Delhi for fueling Russia's 'war machine" in Ukraine. Even though India's ties with the US have grown closer over the past decade through collaborations like the Quad, New Delhi still describes its relationship with Moscow as a 'steady and time-tested partnership".
One of the pivotal moments in the relationship came during the 1971 war, when the US sent a warship to the Indian Ocean to support Pakistan, but Russia stood by India and countered the US move.
India has defended its oil purchase from Russia, calling it a necessary measure to safeguard its national interests and economic security.
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