India and Russia's Strategic Embrace: Trade Expansion Amid Global Pressure

India and Russia have agreed to expand their trade partnership beyond oil and defense, aiming for $100 billion by 2030. Despite Western pressure, both leaders emphasized the strength of their ties, announcing a broader economic cooperation program and collaborative projects, including India's largest nuclear power plant.

In a bold move to strengthen ties, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday a commitment to expand and diversify trade beyond the current focus on oil and defense. This comes amid Western pressure on New Delhi to distance itself from Moscow.

India, a major consumer of Russian arms and oil, rolled out the red carpet for Putin during his first state visit to New Delhi since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The timing of the visit was notable as the United States seeks a trade deal with India to reduce tariffs imposed by former President Trump.

The summit highlighted a multimodal approach to cooperation, including an economic program set to enhance trade to $100 billion by 2030. Other agreements focused on the joint establishment of a fertilizer plant in Russia, and collaborations in agriculture, healthcare, and defense sectors.