Vladamir Putin

In the background, the Modi–Jaishankar doctrine is evident. Multi-alignment, not non-alignment, strategic autonomy without yelling anti-West slogans, and a determined unwillingness to let either Washington or Beijing dictate whom India may cooperate with. This is as much about avoiding overdependence on China as it is about rejecting Western pressure.

The US is pressing G7 allies to impose tariffs on countries still buying Russian oil, with India a key target.

Instead of giving in to pressure, India is mending its ties with  Russia and China. President Donald Trump has accused India of funding Russia’s war in Ukraine by buying discounted crude oil from Moscow.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the SCO Summit in Tianjin, calling terrorism a global challenge and underlining India’s vision based on Security, Connectivity and Opportunity.