India and Russia opened a crucial leadership summit in New Delhi on Friday, with President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting at a time when trade pressures, US sanctions and shifting geopolitical alignments loom heavily over their partnership. The visit marks Putin&rsquo;s first trip to India since the Ukraine war began, underscoring Moscow&rsquo;s intention to reinforce a strategic relationship tested by global realignments.
Modi welcomed Putin with an unusually warm personal gesture at the airport on Thursday before hosting him for a private dinner, a signal of New Delhi&rsquo;s intent to stabilise ties as it negotiates relief from steep US penalties on its continued imports of discounted Russian oil. Washington recently doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, followed by sanctions on Russian energy giants Rosneft and Lukoil, which supply nearly 60 per cent of India&rsquo;s Russian crude.
Putin, meanwhile, arrives with a clear agenda: expand defence and energy cooperation and push bilateral trade toward the $100-billion mark by 2030. Moscow is expected to pitch additional S-400 systems and Su-57 fighter jets, even as India faces pressure from the US to curb arms and energy procurement from Russia. &ldquo;If the US can buy nuclear fuel from us, India deserves the same privilege,&rdquo; Putin said in a pre-visit interaction, defending New Delhi&rsquo;s stance amid Western scrutiny.
Friday&rsquo;s programme includes ceremonial engagements at Rashtrapati Bhavan and Raj Ghat, followed by high-level talks at Hyderabad House aimed at mapping future cooperation. With India declining to criticise Moscow over the Ukraine conflict and maintaining its call for diplomacy, the summit reflects New Delhi&rsquo;s ongoing tightrope, balancing global pressures while safeguarding a decades-old strategic partnership that remains central to its defence and energy security architecture.

Putin–Modi Meet Amid Sanctions, Oil Strain

India seeks relief from US oil sanctions as Russia pushes deeper trade ties

Putin–Modi Meet Amid Sanctions, Oil Strain

India seeks relief from US oil sanctions as Russia pushes deeper trade ties

December 5, 2025 | 15:54 IST