US Pressure on India Over Russia Ties Will Not Succeed, Says Putin; Backs New Delhi’s Strategic Autonomy

Speaking at a public event, Putin strongly defended India’s strategic autonomy and expressed confidence that bilateral trade between India and Russia would reach the USD 100 billion mark in the coming years. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and said India remains committed to an independent foreign policy and will not yield to external pressure.

Putin stated that the United States has consistently attempted to persuade India to reduce its engagement with Russia, but maintained that such efforts would never succeed. He said the international community has come to understand that applying pressure on India, the world’s most populous nation, and on Prime Minister Narendra Modi is detrimental to global relations. According to Putin, it makes little difference where such pressure originates.

The Russian President emphasized that India’s expanding partnership with the United States has not weakened its traditional and long-standing relationship with Russia. He said the growing cooperation between New Delhi and Washington has had no adverse impact on the strong ties shared by India and Russia.

Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions across the world, Putin expressed optimism about the future of economic cooperation between the two countries. He said economic relations between Russia and India are expected to grow rapidly in the coming years and commended the pace of India’s economic development.

Describing India as one of the world’s leading economies, Putin said the country is currently demonstrating an impressive and remarkable growth rate. He added that India’s economic achievements are not the result of chance but stem from sustained efforts and policy decisions undertaken by the Indian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Highlighting the robust trade in crude oil, fertilizers, and coal between the two countries, Putin said these sectors would play a key role in driving bilateral trade toward the USD 100 billion target in the near future.

Even amid heightened diplomatic polarization following the Ukraine conflict and recent global developments, India has successfully maintained a careful balance in its relations with both Russia and the United States. While New Delhi has continued to deepen its strategic partnership with Washington, it has simultaneously expanded crude oil imports and energy cooperation with Russia to record levels in pursuit of its national interests.

Putin’s remarks underscore Moscow’s confidence in India’s ability to preserve an independent foreign policy while managing relationships with major global powers. The statement also reflects Russia’s belief that the long-standing partnership between the two nations remains resilient despite shifting geopolitical dynamics and increasing international pressure.