India and Russia: Renewing an old friendship in a changing world

As Moscow and New Delhi prepare to host yet another high level diplomatic engagement, President Vladimir Putin’s official visit to India comes at a moment when the global order is undergoing a profound transformation. The unipolar moment that followed the Cold War has long faded; the United States’ overextended geopolitical influence is being challenged not only by emerging powers but by a wider coalition of states seeking autonomy, dignity, and genuine multipolarity. In this shifting landscape, India and Russia two civilizational nation with a friendship spanning more than seven decades find themselves naturally aligned in both strategic interests and global vision.

Putin’s visit is not merely ceremonial. It is a reaffirmation of an old partnership that has withstood ideological shifts, leadership changes, and geopolitical turbulence. From the cry of “Hindi Rusi Bhai Bhai” in the 1950s to the era of strategic autonomy in 2025, the relationship continues to be anchored in trust, mutual respect, and consistent support during moments of national importance.

India’s foreign policy has matured beyond the binary choices of Cold War alliances. Yet despite New Delhi’s expanding ties with the West, no partner has demonstrated the reliability Russia has. Whether it was defence cooperation during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, technology transfers at a time when the West maintained sanctions, or support at the UN Security Council on key Indian national interests, Moscow has consistently been a dependable friend.

In an age where strategic partnerships are increasingly transactional, the India Russia bond stands out for its emotional depth and historical continuity. Russia has not lectured India on domestic politics, moralised its sovereignty, or attempted regime-change diplomacy traits the Global South has grown increasingly wary of in Western foreign policy.

Putin’s visit comes as both nations are exploring the possibilities of a truly multipolar world. For Russia, the power centres of the future lie not in exclusive dependence on Europe or China, but in a balanced Eurasian architecture where India is indispensable. For India, a diversified and resilient foreign policy cannot ignore the indispensable role Russia plays in defence, energy security, space cooperation, and emerging technologies.

The two nations are likely to expand cooperation in Defence manufacturing under Make in India, including next-generation air defence, submarine technologies, and joint research ecosystems. Energy security, with long-term investments in nuclear energy, oil supplies, and Arctic cooperation. Connectivity projects like the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) that reduce dependence on Western-controlled maritime routes. Currency and payment mechanisms that reduce exposure to the politicisation of the dollar-dominated global financial structure. Together, these pillars form the backbone of a partnership capable of shaping Eurasia’s future.

The United States today presides over a global system increasingly seen as coercive, sanction driven, and monopolistic. Nations from West Asia to Latin America, Africa to Southeast Asia, have expressed growing discomfort with Washington’s ability to weaponise finance, technology, and global institutions to advance narrow geopolitical interests.

India and Russia are not seeking to “oppose” the U.S., both maintain relationships with Washington on their own terms. But they do share a common understanding: the world must not remain hostage to a single power’s whims. Multipolarity is not merely a slogan; it is a necessity for international stability.

By collaborating on independent financial networks, diversified global supply chains, and new regional connectivity pathways, India and Russia are helping build credible alternatives that dilute Western dominance without destabilising global order.

Unlike the 20th century, when superpowers exported ideology at gunpoint, the 21st century requires moral and cultural centres capable of balancing each other. India’s civilisational ethos and Russia’s Eurasian philosophical tradition contribute unique ideas to global governance ideas rooted in sovereignty, cultural pluralism, and respect for national identity.

In this regard, the India Russia partnership is not merely geopolitical; it carries a civilisational depth. Both nations oppose extremism in any form, reject neo-colonial interference, and favour dialogue over domination. This makes their cooperation foundational to a more democratic global architecture.

Putin’s visit presents an opportunity to renew this long-standing partnership for a new era. For India, Russia remains a vital pillar of its strategic autonomy particularly as geopolitical polarisation intensifies. For Russia, India is a crucial bridge to the Global South, a stable market, and a partner that can balance China’s growing influence without hostility.

The world today does not need new blocs; it needs equilibrium. It needs partnerships built not on fear or coercion but on mutual interest and shared destiny. In this, the India Russia relationship stands as a model steady, rational, and respectful.

As President Putin steps on Indian soil once again, the message is clear: in an uncertain world, some friendships endure not because they are convenient, but because they are rooted in trust. And in this trust lies the shared promise of a multipolar, stable, and more democratic world order.

(The Author is the National Chairman of Muslim Students Organisation of India MSO, he writes on a wide range of issues, including, Sufism, Public Policy, Geopolitics and Information Warfare.)