Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to arrive in New Delhi on Thursday for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit is being closely watched across the world because it is one of Putin’s most important foreign trips since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him in March 2023. His presence in India has revived a simple but important question. Is New Delhi legally required to arrest the Russian leader while he is on Indian soil?

The short answer, based on India’s own legal system and foreign policy decisions, is no. India has no obligation to enforce the ICC warrant because it never signed or adopted the treaty that gives the court its authority.

Why the ICC issued a warrant against Putin

The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber

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