Byline – Paramita Datta
The trip was scheduled before relations between Washington and New Delhi deteriorated, but it demonstrates New Delhi’s ability to respond to the unpredictable nature of the Trump administration while firmly holding on to an independent foreign policy, said Chietigj Bajpaee, a researcher of South Asia at Chatham House.
The December 4 and 5 visit by Putin centres around the annual summit. Analysts said India and Russia were likely to expand trade and strategic relations. Bajpaee added that New Delhi and Moscow want to offset India buying less Russian oil by expanding trade to defence and civilian nuclear projects.
A Bloomberg report says the leaders are likely to discuss India buying Russia’s next-generation Su-57 fighter jets and the advanced S-500 missile defence system. Some experts doubt that Russia can fully execute a defence deal.
The two countries are likely to enhance their cooperation in defence and nuclear energy. India is under pressure from the United States to cut its Russian oil imports, as Washington says this helps Moscow withstand Western sanctions and keep fighting in Ukraine.
The U.S. accuses India of buying Russian oil and selling it on the world market at big profits to help Moscow fund its aggression. New Delhi says the oil imports are necessary to provide energy for 1.4 billion people in India.
In a bid to improve ties with the U.S., India has increased energy purchases from Washington, as Indian state oil firms agreed to buy about 2.2 million tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas each year from the U.S. for one year.
A visit by Putin to India coincides with U.S. efforts to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.