‘India-Russia Ties Strategic, Resilient To External Pressure’: Chinese Expert On PM Modi-Putin Meet

Last Updated:December 05, 2025, 07:54 IST

Li Haidong said the coordination between the two nations reflects a shared intent to enhance their independent and autonomous capabilities.

Vladimir Putin welcomed by PM Modi at Palam Air Force Base in New Delhi. (AFP)

The India–Russia relationship is “highly strategic in nature and extremely resilient to external pressure or interference," Chinese scholar Li Haidong told Global Times on Thursday, framing President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi as a clear indicaion that the partnership remains robust despite geopolitical turbulence. FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES

Li, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, said the coordination between the two nations reflects a shared intent to enhance their independent and autonomous capabilities.

Putin arrived in India on Thursday for a two-day visit, beginning with a private dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is his first trip to India since December 6, 2021. The visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the India–Russia Strategic Partnership, established in 2000, and will see the two leaders review the entire spectrum of their “special and privileged strategic partnership," including defence cooperation, energy security, trade and emerging sectors, Indian media reported.

PM Modi and Putin will also exchange views on developments in Eurasia and the Indo-Pacific, and discuss ways to deepen collaboration in technology, logistics, space, innovation and new trade routes. Russia’s Tass news agency said the two sides are expected to sign 10 intergovernmental agreements and more than 15 commercial contracts, noting that the visit comes as the European Commission pushes proposals for using frozen Russian funds.

Former Indian prime ministerial adviser Sudhindra Kulkarni told Russian news outlet Sputnik that the timing of the summit is “strategically significant amid global pressure," asserting that the enduring depth of the India–Russia partnership continues to hold despite shifting geopolitical alignments.

Li Haidong highlighted that neither Moscow nor New Delhi appears concerned about Western pushback. “Through Putin’s visit, India and Russia have jointly sent a clear message to the outside world: neither country is isolated," he said.

“On the contrary, the two sides enjoy extensive mutual support and strong complementarity… This means that sanctions and pressure from the US and the West against Russia and India is unlikely to succeed."

Bloomberg also reported that India will pay about $2 billion to lease a nuclear-powered submarine from Russia. Li added that India is unlikely to “flinch" under US sanctions pressure and will continue shaping its Russia policy strictly according to national interest.

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