Reconfiguring ties with Russia

Delhi and Moscow need to work on a new template for a futuristic relationship

- 

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov's statement in Moscow that preparations are underway for President Vladimir Putin's travel to India is yet another indication that Moscow intends to go ahead with this important visit after a gap of almost two years. Putin has not been to India since the start of the Ukraine war while Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Russia twice last year. Lavrov painted an optimistic picture of bilateral ties, especially in the trade sector, and lauded India's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict at a time when complex negotiations are going on to halt the fighting. However, there is still no clarity on when Putin intends to come to India, and it appears unlikely the visit will happen in the first half of 2025.