Ties between the two countries have gained momentum despite Western pressure, Arvind Gupta of the Vivekananda Foundation has told RT
India and Russia will continue to deepen their strategic and trade relations despite shifting global dynamics, Vivekananda Foundation director Dr. Arvind Gupta has said. Speaking on the sidelines of the Russian-Indian conference of the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow on Monday, he stressed that ties between the two countries have “gained a certain momentum and this is likely to continue.”
Asked about the impact of US President Donald Trump’s second term on Indian-Russian relations, Gupta stated that the two countries have successfully avoided letting “third country factors” hinder the growth of their bilateral ties, and they will continue to engage based on strategic interests, regardless of who leads the US or other countries.
Gupta also reflected on Trump’s approach to international relations, describing him as a “deal-maker” focused on American interests without regard for history or multilateral behavior. Noting the convergence of strategic interests between India and Russia, Gupta stressed that the two countries must continue to exchange views and identify areas of common interest, while also acknowledging and addressing emerging challenges.
He noted that New Delhi has refused to side with the West against Moscow following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. “There was a lot of pressure on India to take sides with the West. India refused, took a certain stance, which has been appreciated by Russia also. And we bought Russian oil,” Gupta said.
He went on to say that both nations have found innovative ways to maintain trade despite the restrictions imposed by Western governments on Moscow. “Most countries do not want weaponization of sanctions. They don’t want weaponization of international trade,” he stated, adding: “trade is like water; it will flow.”
Commenting on the latest round of sanctions imposed by the US and UK on Russia’s energy sector, which impacts Indian-Russian oil trade, Gupta said, “we’ll have to see how the situation develops,” cautioning against drawing conclusions about Trump’s approach to India and Russia.
The conference, organized by the Valdai Discussion Club and the Vivekananda Foundation – prominent think tanks in Russia and India, respectively – was attended by over 30 experts on foreign policy and economics who discussed the key challenges for Russia and India in various regions of the world and the dynamics of bilateral relations. The first conference was held in January last year in New Delhi.
Russia and India have been expanding and strengthening their strategic partnership. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have met several times in the past year and outlined a broader agenda for cooperation, including increasing trade turnover to $100 billion. Putin is scheduled to visit New Delhi in the coming months for the next summit with Modi.
