Balancing, not swinging: on India-Russia ties, Indian diplomacy

Although the India-Russia relationship goes back decades, the strategic partnership and practice of annual summits marked 25 years this year, with President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Delhi last week. It was his first visit to India since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which ranged the entire West against Moscow, and particularly Mr. Putin himself, who has an international criminal court (ICC) warrant in his name. He has made it clear in recent days that he does not intend to accept the U.S.’s peace proposal without changes, and has stepped up attacks into Ukraine, which has further heightened tensions with Europe. To have invited Mr. Putin at such a time indicates that the Modi government is sending a message to Moscow and western capitals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to r