There was a time in history when Russia wanted to conquer India. In 1801, Tsar Paul, Emperor of Russia made a dangerous plan to invade India.
Paul believed that the Russian army could reach the borders of India through Central Asia and Afghanistan and defeat Britain.
Paul also sought help from France, another major power of that time. In 1801, France was ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte who also wished to conquer India.
Historians say that Paul and Napoleon discussed a plan to conquer India. Paul had planned that 35,000 French and 35,000 Russians would meet at Astarabad (in present-day Iran).
The plan involved them reaching India via Iran and Afghanistan and defeat Britain. However, Napoleon disapproved as the plan included Russian and French forces travelling thousands of miles in the Central Asian region surrounded by enemies without any allies. They also had no way to supply their soldiers far away from home.
However, Paul did not give up on this plan. In January 1801, Czar Paul ordered a top commander of the Russian army's most feared Cossack regiment.
It turned out that the Russians had no accurate maps of how to reach India and little information about the power of British forces in India.
In early 1801, an army of 22,000 Cossacks left Russia for India, but faced trouble. They set out during the peak of winter, which made it nearly impossible to carry supplies and artillery.
It took them a month to reach the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan from Russia. As they were ready to proceed to the next step, news came from St. Petersburg that Czar Paul had been assassinated.
Later, Paul's son and successor, Czar Alexander, ordered the Cossacks to postpone their plans to invade India and return home. This is how the plan to conquer India failed.