Amid Trump's pressure, India set to host Putin in December
Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India in December this year, the Kremlin said on Aug. 29 amid U.S. President Donald Trump's mounting pressure on New Delhi over energy ties with Russia.
Washington targeted Indian goods with 50% tariffs — which came into effect on Aug. 27 — as Trump lashed out against the South Asian country for buying Russian weapons and oil.
The move came amid Trump's effort to negotiate a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia and end the full-scale war ongoing for three and a half years.
Putin is also expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their visit to China on Sept. 1, where the two are set to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The visit will mark Putin's first visit to India since December 2021, when he held talks with Modi just a few months before launching an all-out war against Ukraine.
After the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, India has emerged as one of Moscow's largest oil buyers, taking advantage of discount prices as Russia lost much of its European market.
This prompted criticism from Washington, with Trump's advisor, Peter Navarro, denouncing India as an "oil money laundromat for the Kremlin."
India initially seemed to submit to Washington's pressure, with earlier reporting indicating that the country was reducing Russian oil imports as U.S. tariffs took effect.
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that India instead moves to ramp up Russian oil imports by 10-20% in September, despite U.S. tariffs. New Delhi argues that Russian imports are crucial to maintain stable energy costs.
Oil revenues account for roughly one-third of Russia's federal budget, making energy exports a vital source of funding for its war against Ukraine.
India has publicly adopted a neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, urging a peaceful resolution while maintaining its economic ties with Moscow.
