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A Critical Turning Point in the History of India-Russian Relations: PM Modi's Visit to Russia 

With talks on military and energy, Modi's visit to Moscow fortifies India-Russian relations while he navigates the Ukraine crisis under international scrutiny.

The 22nd India-Russia summit, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Moscow for commencing on July 8, promises to be a momentous occasion in the long-standing bilateral relationship between the two countries. Vladimir Putin extended an invitation to Modi for this, his first visit in almost five years. He last traveled to Vladivostok for an economic summit in 2019. His first trip since Russia's contentious invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 is also taking place. It is still a reality that Russia and India have a complex strategic alliance, and both countries will likely address a wide range of topics in-depth during the talks, including important regional and international challenges.

A Historical Collaboration

Russia and India have a long-standing partnership that is based on strategic collaboration and respect for one another. The yearly summit, where leaders convene alternately in Russia and India, serves as the highest level institutional engagement mechanism in this alliance. Up till now, 21 summits have addressed many aspects of cooperation, ranging from energy, economics, and cultural exchanges to defense and cooperation. The most recent one, which took place on December 6, 2021, in New Delhi during Putin's visit, paved the way for future collaboration despite shifts in the geopolitical landscape globally.

Energy and Defense: Foundations of Collaboration

During Modi's visit, defense and energy are expected to be the main priorities. India has been a significant buyer of Russian military hardware. Despite criticism from Western countries, the two have maintained their long-standing religious relationship. The two will talk about expanding on current defense contracts and search for new avenues for joint manufacturing and defense technology collaboration.

Energy cooperation is the third key pillar, and Russia is one of India's main suppliers of natural gas and oil. In the current environment of the Ukrainian crisis and the question of global energy security that has been created, energy cooperation with Russia attains an even greater level of relevance. Agreements on improving energy trade and collaborating on alternative energy sources that would be more sustainable for India could come from the summit.

Geopolitical Background: The Conflict in Ukraine

The backdrop of Putin's invasion of Ukraine is also added, adding layers of complexity to Modi's visit. In the situation, New Delhi has tread carefully, remaining mute about Russia's criticis while advocating for the required communication and diplomatic solutions. Modi's recent meetings with Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, were both successful. 

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