'Diplomatic Split Screen': US Media Flags India's Strategic Balancing Act Ahead Of Putin's Visit
India seeks discounted Russian oil and weapons while pursuing trade and technology cooperation with the US. US tariffs and sanctions pressure India, leading to reduced Russian oil imports.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to arrive in India on a two-day visit from December 4 to 5, an event that is drawing worldwide attention. The visit has triggered especially intense debate in the US media, with leading outlets from CNN to The Washington Post publishing detailed analyses on the evolving India–Russia–US equation.
American news website CNN reported that when President Putin’s aircraft lands in New Delhi on Thursday, he will be accorded a grand welcome. At the same time, it noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to pursue strong strategic ties with the United States. CNN described this as India’s “diplomatic split screen”, on one side plans to buy advanced Russian fighter jets, discounted oil, and a Cold War-era friendship; on the other, cooperation with the US on technology, trade and investment, along with hopes that President Donald Trump will roll back tough tariffs.
'India trying to balance both the US and Russia'
CNN said this is Putin’s first visit to India since the start of the Ukraine war, and it comes at a time of heightened diplomatic pressure for Prime Minister Modi. The report noted that India is negotiating a crucial trade deal with the US after facing a 50% tariff, half of which was imposed as a punishment for New Delhi’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil.
Despite this, CNN wrote that the agenda of Putin’s visit includes further defence deals with Moscow, including weapons purchases that India sees as essential for safeguarding itself against Pakistan and China. The report added that India must demonstrate how it manages relations with difficult neighbours, as Russia is also a close partner of China, while Beijing remains a major arms supplier to Pakistan. Quoting Ashoka University’s visiting professor of international relations, Kanti Bajpai, CNN said that by rolling out the red carpet for Putin, India is signalling to both the West and China that it has multiple strategic options.
‘A friendship tested by time’
CNN noted that India’s close ties with Russia date back to the Cold War. Although newly independent India was officially non-aligned, it received significant industrial and economic support from the Soviet Union. India’s tilt towards Moscow became more evident in the 1970s as the US increased military and financial support to Pakistan. Russia began supplying arms to India and emerged as a reliable counterweight. While India’s purchase of Russian weapons has declined over the past four years, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) still lists Moscow as India’s top military supplier.
‘Punished for buying cheap Russian oil’
According to CNN, India took advantage of heavily discounted Russian oil after Western sanctions drove down prices following the 2022 Ukraine invasion. To fuel its fast-growing economy and support a population of over 1.4 billion, India sharply increased its imports of Russian crude, becoming one of its top buyers.
In response to Western criticism, India has consistently maintained that its foremost responsibility is to its people and its economy. CNN reported that in August, President Trump imposed a 50% tariff on India, citing both the trade deficit and continued Russian oil purchases. In October, the US announced sanctions on two of Russia’s largest oil companies, triggering immediate concern in Indian corporate offices. Trade and refining sources told Reuters that India’s Russian oil imports in December are likely to fall to their lowest level in three years. CNN added that economic pressure from the US has not only strained bilateral ties but has also coincided with a softening of tensions between India and China.
Days after the tariffs were imposed, Prime Minister Modi visited China for the first time in seven years to attend a summit hosted by President Xi Jinping, aimed at projecting Beijing as a global leader capable of challenging Western institutions.
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