Will the Ukraine crisis put strain on India-Russia relations? Here’s what we know

The tensions between Ukraine and Russia are reaching new heights with each passing day, with countries across the world taking a distinct stand on the issue. Each country is taking a side in the war between Ukraine and Russia, with most governments siding with Ukraine.

India is one of the few countries which have taken a balanced stand on the current conflict, with not outwardly supporting either Russia or Ukraine. India and Russia have a good relationship in terms of international relations, though many are speculating that this rift will put a strain on their ties.

According to PTI reports, Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov said on Saturday that the current crisis in Ukraine will have consequences for the whole world, including for Russia-India relations, and the extent of its impact cannot be envisaged now.

The Russian envoy had further said that though the impact of the war in Ukraine can be severe on international relations, this is India’s chance to take advantage of the situation and bolster economic ties with Russia as Moscow’s Western partners have refused to cooperate with it.

This means that the ties between India and Russia could seemingly strengthen when it comes to trade and business. Earlier, the Russian envoy had also said that the S-400 missile deal with India will not suffer because of the situation in Ukraine.

The Russian authorities had earlier praised the Indian government for having a balanced stand on the situation, while the Ukrainian government has been asking Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the situation in the midst of the current war.

The PM Modi-led government is also maintaining ties with Ukraine in the midst of the Russian invasion, as both, administrations are coming together to evacuate stranded Indian nationals from the country. India had also sent humanitarian assistance to Ukraine as it struggles through the current crisis.

Meanwhile, PM Modi has held talks with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy since the conflict between the two nations began. When it comes to maintaining relations with Russia and Ukraine, India is doing its part to not sever ties with either.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine began in the last week of February, after which several countries took a stand against Russia. The European Union, United Kingdom, and the United States openly condemned the country and decided to impose several sanctions, targeting Russian oligarchs and banks.