Putin's Delhi visit: ceremonies, trade deals and unanswered questions - The Global Herald

Russian President Vladimir Putin completed a program of meetings and events in New Delhi that included ceremonial welcomes, bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and participation in business forums. The visit also saw the announcement of a Russian state-backed television outlet launching operations in India.

The Russian leader received an elaborate reception at the presidential palace. Domestic Russian coverage noted the grandeur: "A cavalcade, volleys of cannons and a marble throne room," and added "How Vladimir Putin was greeted in an Indian palace with 340 rooms."

The pomp signalled to observers that India was prepared to host the Russian president despite Moscow's international isolation since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022.

Alongside formal events, leaders held less publicised encounters. Putin's foreign policy aide described one such gathering as "one of the key points of the visit". He added that "during such confidential face-to-face contacts, the most urgent, most sensitive and most important issues of both bilateral relations and the international situation are discussed". He also said, "Politics is made at these kind of meetings."

Delegations from both countries signed multiple memorandums and agreements across several sectors. Items publicly acknowledged included:

The visit coincided with the announcement that a Kremlin-funded broadcaster would expand operations, a development noted during the official schedule of events.

Energy trade was a prominent theme. Russia has supplied discounted crude to India in recent years, a trade that has significantly raised bilateral volumes. President Putin said Moscow stood ready to maintain fuel deliveries, and officials framed that assurance as "uninterrupted shipments" of fuel to India.

The context for these comments includes pressure on India from the United States, which has used trade measures such as high tariffs to try to discourage further purchases of Russian oil.

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