Putin and Modi Defy Washington: A Strategic Friendship That Fuels the Multipolar World

Recently, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again reaffirmed the depth of their strategic partnership—a relationship that has endured for over two decades against Western and U.S. influence, charting an independent course.


Since the 1990s, under former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, Russia’s official policy has been to promote a multipolar world order. This has naturally translated into strengthening ties with India and China in order to balance against the West.


On the other side, in the wake of the Ukraine crisis and unilateral Western sanctions on Russia, India has become one of Moscow’s largest oil buyers. Bilateral trade surged from around \$13 billion in 2021 to \$27 billion in 2022, and has since reached approximately \$66 billion across 2023 and 2024—evidence of the success and resilience of this partnership.


During their meeting, Putin emphasized the historical and exceptional nature of Russo-Indian relations, noting that in 2000 the two nations upgraded ties to the level of a “special and privileged strategic partnership”—a rare diplomatic status that reflects trust and continuity. He stressed that this was not a symbolic reminder but a clear message: the relationship has not only endured but has also deepened and aligned with the trajectory of the multipolar order. In diplomacy, symbolic gestures often speak louder than formal statements.


In this light, Putin’s choice to address Modi as “dear friend” carried a special weight, signaling an unusual degree of personal warmth rarely seen in Russia’s foreign relations. Even their shared ride to the meeting venue was carefully choreographed as a visible sign of durable friendship. Most telling was their private, hour-long discussion behind closed doors—an indication that the agenda went far beyond ceremony, centering instead on regional and international security and economic issues. The meeting underscored both nations’ drive to coordinate against Western unilateralism, sanctions, the Ukraine conflict, and U.S. economic and financial pressure on India.


The encounter also conveyed an indirect message to Washington. At a time when the U.S. (under Trump) has pressed New Delhi to halt Russian oil imports, Modi declared openly that India had stood with Russia even in the toughest circumstances. By continuing to trade oil with Moscow under all conditions, New Delhi has shown that its foreign policy is based on national interests and strategic autonomy—not subservience to Western dictates.

As the U.S. and its allies strive to preserve their traditional monopoly over international affairs, the Putin–Modi meeting demonstrated that Moscow and New Delhi are jointly pursuing a new world order. Their reaffirmation of independence and defiance of Western pressure highlights that this is no ordinary partnership, but part of the broader process of shaping a multipolar system in which India seeks to play a pivotal role in Eurasia and beyond. Crucially, India has made clear it will not sacrifice its historic position to Washington’s ambitions.


In conclusion, the significance of this summit lies in India’s evolution from a regional actor into a consolidating force within the multipolar order, reaffirming its “special strategic partnership” with Russia. Their cooperation empowers India to assert itself in Eurasian and global affairs, while sending a pointed message to Washington and the world: New Delhi’s choices will not be dictated by Western coercion, and its resistance to U.S. unilateral pressure will endure.


Translated by Ashraf Hemmati from the original Persian article written by By Navid Daneshvar


1- https://sputniknews.in/20240705/modi-putin-summit-russia-india-strengthen-each-others-strategic-autonomy-7778946.html
2- https://www.reuters.com/world/china/modi-says-russia-india-stand-together-even-difficult-times-2025-09-01/
3- https://apnews.com/article/9a79eeefaeadaeb358c6e7a248202e19
4- https://www.reuters.com/world/china/modi-says-russia-india-stand-together-even-difficult-times-2025-09-01