Putin's visit is an opportunity to recalibrate relations with Russia

New Delhi and Moscow need to look beyond the past in a rapidly evolving geopolitical context

- KANICA RAKHRA

This week’s visit to India of Russia's President Vladimir Putin has drawn New Delhi's long relationship with Moscow into the spotlight.

The India-Russia bond has been strong and steady, as evident in the fact that it has outlasted many shifts in global geopolitics. Looking at the cooperation between the two, whether it is on defence materiel or navigating past twists and turns in the global order, India and Russia have understood each other's requirements and managed to support each other in their time of need. But is the relationship ready for a new wave of geopolitical shifts?

The 1971 Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation paved the way for India-Russia relations where both could benefit from bilateral ties. Moscow supported India in multilateral forums with its veto power and New Delhi bought its defence equipment from the Russian Federation (or Soviet Union before it split). The relationship also had soft-power elements, with Indian movie actors finding popularity in Russia and the latter being a popular destination for Indian medical students.

In the 2000s, Russia’s support for the India-US nuclear deal as well as for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group assisted New Delhi in its negotiations at various levels. This led to a new dawn in the relationship between the US and India, making space for an enhanced global role for New Delhi. But this new role was not to be at the cost of its ties with Russia.