In one of the most recent political rallies in India, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it loud and clear that Russia remains the country’s time-tested partner. An indirect message to the US — Russia stays with India and deal with it. Now the Russian President is all set to make his first visit to India since the Ukraine conflict.
The visit is one of the most high-profile visits of Putin and is seen as uplifting the country’s trade in South Asia amid the US sanctions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to visit India next month to set the agenda for the meeting. Meanwhile, the timing of the visit is very crucial considering the strain in India-US ties. The US has recently imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods as punishment for its Russian oil purchases.
Meanwhile, the Russia-India meeting is expected to review the trade and defence, something that the US would be keen to watch. The SCO summit, held in China, showcased the friendship among Russia, China, and India, an event closely followed by the US President from Washington.
These three countries together form the RIC trilateral, which, at present, is only a mechanism for foreign ministers to meet. However, in no time, this trilateral can be set up to resist the increasing geopolitical pressure and trade conflicts from the US.
Also Read | Why the West Fears the Rise of Russia, India, China – RIC Trilateral?
