Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the side-lines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin carried more weight than the symbolism of a shared limousine ride. It offered a glimpse into India’s evolving calculus at a moment when global alignments are being redrawn under duress. The optics were striking. A visibly relaxed exchange between the Indian and Russian leaders, one punctuated by warmth and informality, was far removed from the coercive language emanating from Washington.

The United States has slapped unprecedented tariffs on Indian goods, ostensibly to punish New Delhi for sustaining energy and defence ties with Moscow, and unleashed undiplomatic rhetoric that suggests an inclination to treat India as a supplicant. Yet, rather than displaying retreat, India chose to reinforce its comfort with Russia in a highly public setting, and under the watchful gaze of Chinese President Xi........

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