Modi and Putin Prepare for Upcoming Summit in New Delhi
The leaders discuss military cooperation, energy ties, and global geopolitical strategies in their anticipated meeting.
In the coming weeks, global attention is set to focus on New Delhi, India, where a summit is expected to take place between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The specific date of the meeting has yet to be confirmed; however, preparations are reportedly underway, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
This gathering is notable as it marks yet another meeting between the two leaders, with their most recent summit held in Moscow in the summer of the previous year.
However, the significance of this upcoming summit is heightened by recent regional and international developments since their last encounter.
An analysis of the global political landscape suggests that multiple key issues will likely be addressed during the discussions between Modi and Putin, rooted in the historical and strategic relationship between India and Russia that dates back to the Cold War era.
A primary focus of the agenda is anticipated to be military collaboration between the two nations.
India, which has a long history of defense cooperation with Russia, is seeking to modernize its military capabilities.
Despite exploring options to acquire advanced American weaponry, India harbors concerns over the associated costs, stringent conditions, and potential delays in delivery.
As such, India favors ongoing cooperation with Russia for essential military technologies.
This includes prospective joint production of the advanced Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jets and further development of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, a project launched in collaboration with Russia.
Energy cooperation is also expected to be a critical topic, particularly in light of recent U.S. threats to impose high tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil.
Since 2022, India has emerged as a significant partner for Russia in the energy sector, underscored by a historic ten-year oil agreement signed last year, which continues despite U.S. sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Furthermore, India remains a major investor in Russia's large-scale liquefied natural gas project in the Arctic region.
Analysts, such as Russian expert Andrei Korotkov, suggest that the summit may address U.S. escalations against Iran, which could impact the economic viability of the North-South Transport Corridor that India and Russia envision for expanding bilateral trade.
Korotkov speculates that growing ties between Putin and former President Trump may position Russia as a potential mediator between Tehran and Washington in such a scenario, with India serving as a vital regional ally in the process.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is also likely to be a crucial point of discussion, especially in light of President Putin's recent proposal for the United Nations to temporarily administer Ukraine with the support of peacekeeping forces to monitor and enforce a ceasefire.
India has historically been a reliable contributor to global peacekeeping missions in conflict zones, enhancing its relevance in this conversation.
Moreover, both India and Russia appear to be keen on establishing a more influential role in the global order, aspiring to shift the geopolitical landscape from a unipolar or bipolar framework to a multipolar arrangement that includes the United States, China, Russia, and India.
Expectations indicate that any joint statement emerging from the forthcoming summit may reflect calls for such a multipolar world, although the feasibility of its realization in the near term remains uncertain.
The specific date of the meeting has yet to be confirmed; however, preparations are reportedly underway, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
This gathering is notable as it marks yet another meeting between the two leaders, with their most recent summit held in Moscow in the summer of the previous year.
However, the significance of this upcoming summit is heightened by recent regional and international developments since their last encounter.
An analysis of the global political landscape suggests that multiple key issues will likely be addressed during the discussions between Modi and Putin, rooted in the historical and strategic relationship between India and Russia that dates back to the Cold War era.
A primary focus of the agenda is anticipated to be military collaboration between the two nations.
India, which has a long history of defense cooperation with Russia, is seeking to modernize its military capabilities.
Despite exploring options to acquire advanced American weaponry, India harbors concerns over the associated costs, stringent conditions, and potential delays in delivery.
As such, India favors ongoing cooperation with Russia for essential military technologies.
This includes prospective joint production of the advanced Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jets and further development of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, a project launched in collaboration with Russia.
Energy cooperation is also expected to be a critical topic, particularly in light of recent U.S. threats to impose high tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil.
Since 2022, India has emerged as a significant partner for Russia in the energy sector, underscored by a historic ten-year oil agreement signed last year, which continues despite U.S. sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Furthermore, India remains a major investor in Russia's large-scale liquefied natural gas project in the Arctic region.
Analysts, such as Russian expert Andrei Korotkov, suggest that the summit may address U.S. escalations against Iran, which could impact the economic viability of the North-South Transport Corridor that India and Russia envision for expanding bilateral trade.
Korotkov speculates that growing ties between Putin and former President Trump may position Russia as a potential mediator between Tehran and Washington in such a scenario, with India serving as a vital regional ally in the process.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is also likely to be a crucial point of discussion, especially in light of President Putin's recent proposal for the United Nations to temporarily administer Ukraine with the support of peacekeeping forces to monitor and enforce a ceasefire.
India has historically been a reliable contributor to global peacekeeping missions in conflict zones, enhancing its relevance in this conversation.
Moreover, both India and Russia appear to be keen on establishing a more influential role in the global order, aspiring to shift the geopolitical landscape from a unipolar or bipolar framework to a multipolar arrangement that includes the United States, China, Russia, and India.
Expectations indicate that any joint statement emerging from the forthcoming summit may reflect calls for such a multipolar world, although the feasibility of its realization in the near term remains uncertain.
