Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left). | Photo credit: AP
Protecting Russia’s relations with India from pressure from the United States administration is a top priority for Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a leading Moscow analyst. Mr Putin is due to arrive in Delhi on Thursday (December 4, 2025) for his first state visit to India since the start of the Ukraine conflict.
Nikolai Plotnikov, head of the Center for Scientific and Analytical Information of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, described India’s foreign policy as “pragmatic” in response to queries from The Hindu. A surge in India’s purchases of Russian energy, triggered by the conflict in Ukraine, had made India “a good profit” in the previous three years, he said.
“Our country is united by long-standing friendship and strategic cooperation. Both bilateral relations and cooperation within international organizations are constantly developing. The agenda of the talks in New Delhi is primarily driven by the need to adapt to strong external pressure from the administration of US President Donald Trump,” said Plotnikov.
He predicted that India will not ultimately reduce its imports of Russian oil because it is beneficial for India to buy Russian energy. “By buying Russian oil, which forms a substantial part of India’s imports, India will make a good profit. Why would anyone turn down an opportunity to add to their coffers by accepting bargains?” asked Mr. Plotnikov.
Mobility contract
Official sources earlier told The Hindu that India and Russia are expected to sign a mobility agreement during Mr. Putin’s visit to India. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted the issue at a conclave jointly organized by India’s World magazine and the Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday, saying that intergovernmental mobility agreements were “a very important part of our diplomacy”.
“We have 21 such agreements, apart from that we have mobility provisions in some of the free trade agreements that we have concluded,” Mr Jaishankar said in his speech.
Russia has reportedly been facing a labor shortage since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis, as labor from Central Asia, Iran, North Korea and China has been unable to meet emerging demand. “As a result, Russia has a huge demand for Indian skilled and semi-skilled workers, and half a million Indian workers may be needed in Russia,” said Arif Asalioglu, a Moscow-based analyst who said support from China and India had been crucial for Russia to face pressure from Western sanctions since the start of the Ukraine conflict.
Published – 03 Dec 2025 22:40 IST
