What media and experts got wrong about Vladimir Putin’s India visit

On the eve of Putin's visit, a majority of national dailies and prime time TV debates were projecting big ticket announcements.

- SURENDRA KUMAR

Russian President Vladimir Putin's 10th annual bilateral Summit with the Indian PM in Delhi (Dec 4-5, 2025), first since Russia invaded Ukraine (Feb 24, 2022) seems to have gone off well. It was watched with as much interest in the US and its Western allies and Beijing as in India.

If the objective was to demonstrate to the world the legacy of the 75-year-long India-Soviet/Russia relationship, it was "mission accomplished". If President Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's joint ride in Tianjin during the SCO summit caused some disquiet and dismay in the US and the EU, the Indian PM's decision to receive the Russian President at the airport with a bear hug and travel with him in a Toyota Fortuner instead of a car manufactured in Europe would have given them a rude shock

PM Modi likened the stable and steady relationship since Independence to the "Pole Star". The Russian side reminded India of their countless vetoes in the UN on J&K and the crucial help extended in crisis situations like the 1962 Chinse aggression, 1965 attack by Pakistan and 1971 intimidation by the US with the deployment of the 7th fleet in the Bay of Bengal, as well as the resilient defence ties including transfer of technology for manufacturing Brahmos missiles. Strategically, at this juncture, both Russia and India need each other thanks to the policies of Donald Trump. So, understandably, each side would highlight the takeaways from the visit as it suits it and helps further its national interests.