Modi-Putin Summit: India, Russia to Deepen Defence, Energy Ties in Defiance of Western Pressure

This special report focuses on Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to New Delhi in December 2025 for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The programme examines the geopolitical implications of the visit, including planned agreements on labour mobility, energy, and defence cooperation, all in the context of Western sanctions and pressure. According to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, 'What we seek to do as governments is to provide the guidance and create conditions for economic activities to take place'. The report details how the two nations are strengthening their 'special and privileged strategic partnership' through increased bilateral trade, which reached a record $68.7 billion in FY 2024-25, and discussions on technology transfer for advanced military hardware like the Su-57 fighter jet. The summit is presented as a coordinated assertion of a multipolar foreign policy, challenging the West's attempts to isolate Moscow.