Bangkok India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi apparently wanted to avoid photos in a friendly atmosphere at all costs at the summit in Uzbekistan. Modi arrived late for the meeting venue of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) – an alliance of states consisting of China, India, Russia, Pakistan and four Central Asian countries – and thus missed the informal welcome dinner. The aim was apparently primarily to avoid the heads of state and government from China and Pakistan – both neighbors India sees as its rivals.
Modi, on the other hand, has no fear of contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On the fringes of the summit, he met as planned for a one-to-one meeting with the Kremlin boss on Friday. It was the first face-to-face meeting between the two politicians since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – which India has so far not officially condemned.
This time, too, Modi avoided overly explicit words. In the public part of the conversation he simply said: “We do not live in an age of war. Today we have the opportunity to talk about how we can move forward on the path of peace.”
However, Modi did not want to raise any doubts about the close partnership with Russia. “India and Russia have been linked for several decades,” he said. Putin said he knows Modi’s position on the conflict in Ukraine and his concerns. “We want all of this to end as soon as possible.” As in the past, he blamed Ukraine for its alleged refusal to negotiate with Russia.
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Putin did not get any objection to this in Modi’s presence. For the Indian prime minister it rained cordiality. Putin said he knew his “dear friend” Modi was celebrating his birthday tomorrow. He wished him and the “friendly Indian nation” only the best. He also invited Modi to a state visit to Russia.
Relationship between Russia and India
For Putin, the meeting was another opportunity to demonstrate that his country is nowhere near as isolated internationally as the West would like it to be. His message was: With India and the other SCO countries, which account for around 40 percent of the world’s population, a serious alternative to the West is emerging.
The Russian President is trying to make his independence from the West clear.
(Photo: via REUTERS)
Putin said in a speech: “The growing role of new power centers that cooperate with each other is becoming increasingly clear.” The group is open to cooperation with the whole world. “We hope that other states will stop using the instruments of protectionism, illegal sanctions and economic selfishness.”
Putin added that he wished his “friends from India every success”. The country took over the SCO chairmanship from Uzbekistan. Showcasing the ongoing Indo-Russian partnership is politically not without its dangers for India’s Prime Minister Modi. Since the start of the Ukraine war, the head of government of the world’s largest democracy has been attempting an increasingly difficult balancing act.
He wants to maintain the traditionally good relations with Russia – India’s most important arms supplier. At the same time, he does not want to jeopardize the deepening of the partnership with the USA and Europe. Finally, Modi sees the western states as allies in the rivalry with China.
So far, India’s approach has met with understanding from Americans and Europeans. Washington recently said it was logical that India couldn’t flip its historical ties to Russia like a light switch.
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Now, however, the United States is making it clear that tolerance also knows limits: “We have expressed our concern at the highest level about actions that could undermine international pressure on Russia,” said the US State Department.
Energy partnership between India and Russia
India has recently helped ease the pressure on Russia, especially economically. As Russia’s energy business with Europe collapsed, the 1.4-billion-strong emerging South Asian nation helped fill the gaps, becoming a major customer for Russian oil majors. India also purchases significantly more coal from Russia.
The rapid expansion of the energy partnership is also reflected in the trade balance: in the first seven months of the year, India’s imports from Russia rose from $2 billion in the previous year to $13 billion now.
India also apparently rejects participation in a price cap for Russian oil planned by the G7 countries. An Indian foreign ministry spokesman said on the fringes of the SCO summit that India is not a member of the G7 and that Indian companies would get oil on the open market in order to secure the country’s energy supply.
Russia also emphasized that business would continue. Denis Alipov, Russia’s Ambassador to India, said: “India is looking for the cheapest offers, and Russia is looking for new markets.”
The Kremlin had already announced that it would not sell oil to countries that implement the price cap. If India actually rejects the G7 plan, the country itself is in danger of being the focus of sanctions.
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The participation of Indian soldiers in the Russian military exercise “Vostok” has recently caused anger among India’s partners. The reaction to this was particularly outraged in Japan. Because the exercise was carried out, among other things, around an archipelago that Russia and Japan have been fighting for decades.
The fact that India – Japan’s partner in the Quad security alliance – was involved caused irritation in Tokyo. The question of whose side India is really on is a growing one for the partners of Asia’s third largest economy.
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