Key Highlights–
- Putin to visit India on December 5 for the Russia-India Forum in New Delhi.
- Visit comes as Trump eyes a potential reset of US–India trade ties.
- Analysts warn renewed Moscow-Delhi cooperation could test Washington’s patience.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit New Delhi, India, on December 5 to attend the Russia-India Forum, according to Bloomberg, citing Roscongress, the event’s organizer. Putin’s India visit will mark Putin’s first trip to India since the start of the war in Ukraine, a move seen as part of Moscow’s broader effort to reaffirm old alliances and counterbalance Western isolation.
The forum is expected to focus on trade, energy cooperation, and investment, with discussions likely touching on how both nations can strengthen economic ties despite global volatility.
Putin’s India Visit Could Complicate Trump’s Trade Push with Modi
For India, the visit reinforces its long-standing strategic partnership with Russia while maintaining its stance of diplomatic independence between East and West.
The Kremlin confirmed that the trip had been in the planning stage for months. It comes at a sensitive time for global diplomacy, as the US, under Donald Trump’s new administration, re-evaluates trade relationships and pressures allies to limit economic cooperation with Russia.
India Walks Its Strategic Tightrope
In a phone call in October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Putin reaffirmed their commitment to what both call a “special and privileged strategic partnership.” The leaders discussed energy, defense, and trade, which have long been the cornerstones of Russia-India relationship.
India’s approach reflects its broader doctrine of strategic autonomy, maintaining ties with both Moscow and Washington. Despite repeated US pressure, New Delhi has continued to import discounted Russian oil and strengthen defense cooperation, even as it expands engagement with Western partners through the Quad and G20.
However, with Trump back in office, that balancing act may face renewed scrutiny. During his previous term, Washington imposed tariffs as high as 50% on Indian exports, citing concerns over New Delhi’s Russian energy purchases. The former president has since hinted at revisiting those duties while negotiating what he called a “fairer” trade deal with India.
Could Putin’s Visit Reignite a Tariff War?
Washington will keep a close watch on Putin’s India visit, where trade observers say Trump’s camp is weighing how to respond to New Delhi’s growing engagement with Moscow. Any fresh energy or defense deals could risk reviving old tariff tensions between the two nations.
“Trump views tariffs as leverage,” a trade analyst told Reuters. “If India continues its deep cooperation with Russia, the White House may act economically before diplomatically.” The concern isn’t unfounded; the former administration had imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports during its first term, citing unfair trade practices and India’s continued ties with Russia. Those duties were quietly relaxed under Biden but never fully rolled back.
For India, Putin’s India visit adds another layer of complexity to its balancing act. Moscow remains a critical supplier of energy and arms, while the US is a top export market and investor in India’s tech and manufacturing sectors.
The visit could test how far India can stretch its non-aligned strategy before a new tariff storm brews.
Can Modi Balance Putin and Trump?
Putin and Modi last met in September at a summit in China’s port city of Tianjin, where they were seen sharing a brief exchange with President Xi Jinping. This moment subtly highlighted the new geometry of Eurasian power. The image captured more than camaraderie; it reflected how New Delhi continues to walk a tightrope, maintaining deep energy and defense ties with Moscow while expanding trade and technology links with Washington.
As global blocs stiffen, India’s ability to navigate this multipolar maze will define its economic and diplomatic fortunes. Putin’s India visit, though framed around the Russia-India business forum, doubles as a quiet test for Trump’s evolving foreign policy instincts, and for how far Modi’s “strategic autonomy” can stretch before reigniting another tariff war.
