Putin bids to keep oil, arms flowing

Narendra Modi’s red carpet welcome and signature bear-hug for Russian President Vladimir Putin signals New Delhi’s stamp of continuity for its ‘multi-alignment’ foreign policy. The timing is important: India has cut back on Russian oil imports following the new Western sanctions. For Putin too, facing isolation on the Ukraine war, to connect with India on the 25th anniversary of the two countries’ special relations, became important.