"Clear Message To World": Chinese Media's Big Praise Of Putin's India Visit

Amid Western pressure on New Delhi to reduce trade with Moscow, Chinese state media has described Russian President Vladimir Putin's two-day visit to India as a "clear message" to the world that "neither country is isolated". The Russian leader's visit to India comes at a pivotal moment as the United States pushes for a Ukraine peace deal while seeking global cooperation.

Quoting Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, Global Times reported that the coordination and cooperation between Russia and India carries a clear intent that both countries are determined to further strengthen their independent and autonomous capabilities.

The India-Russia relationship is highly strategic in nature and extremely resilient to external pressure or interference, according to the expert.

"Through Putin's visit, India and Russia have jointly sent a clear message to the outside world: neither country is isolated," Li said.

"On the contrary, the two sides enjoy extensive mutual support and strong complementarity... This means that sanctions and pressure from the US and the West against Russia and India are unlikely to succeed," he added.

Change In US Tunes?

While India has historically maintained deep ties with Russia, critics believe Putin's visit could impact trade negotiations and agreements with the European Union and the US, which are seen as critical for India's exports.

The US has called for continued efforts to improve its relations with India, following a bitter run-in over tariffs and trade differences. A new report by the US's National Security Strategy has also highlighted the need for New Delhi's participation in countering the Indo-Pacific threat.

"We must continue to improve commercial (and other) relations with India to encourage New Delhi to contribute to Indo-Pacific security, including through continued quadrilateral cooperation with Australia, Japan, and the United States ("the Quad"). Moreover, we will also work to align the actions of our allies and partners with our joint interest in preventing domination by any single competitor nation," the report said.

Interestingly, the report was released at a time when the US's most important adversary, Putin, is enjoying the winter in Delhi, hosted by the leader of its trusted ally, India.

A team of negotiators from the Trump administration, led by Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer, also plans to travel to India next week to continue talks on a trade agreement, according to a Bloomberg report.