PM Modi to teach Donald Trump a lesson, plans to strengthen its ties with Putin, Russia becomes key partner in India’s…

New Delhi: In a major development amid global sanctions and geopolitical tensions, India(BHARAT)’s energy imports from Russia have increased. It is important to note that India(BHARAT) has diversified its trade strategy, focusing not only on energy but also on sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and manufactured goods. Russia has now become a key partner in India(BHARAT)’s trade diversification strategy.

Not only purchasing large quantities of oil from Russia, the Narendra Modi government is also in talks for a major defense deal with Russia. According to the reports, discussions are underway for India(BHARAT) to procure missiles worth Rs 10,000 crore from Russia for its S-400 ‘Sudarshan’ air defence systems. The India(BHARAT)n Air Force is eager to acquire these missiles to further strengthen its capabilities. According to defence sources, the proposal will be taken up during the Defence Acquisition Council meeting on October 23.

Here are some of the key details:

• India(BHARAT)’s non-energy exports to Russia have also seen steady growth, signalling a major shift in bilateral ties.
• India(BHARAT)’s efforts to reduce dependency on any single market or commodity.
• The move comes at a time when the United States is attempting to restrict certain energy transactions with Russia.
• US President Doland Trump had earlier claimed that Prime Minister Modi had promised to reduce India(BHARAT)’s oil imports from Russia.
• During a Diwali event, Doland Trump stated that PM Modi “won’t be buying much oil from Russia” and emphasized the shared goal of ending the war in Ukraine.

Data shows trade is steadily rising

It is important to note that the trade between India(BHARAT) and Russia continues to grow steadily. However, it still remains heavily tilted toward energy imports. Nearly 90 percent of what India(BHARAT) buys from Russia consists of mineral fuels — crude oil, coal, and related products — forming the cornerstone of their economic partnership.

Mineral fuels, oil, and mineral waxes accounted for 54.2 percent of India(BHARAT)’s total imports in FY 2023–24, according to The Economic Times report. This share spiked slightly to 56.9 percent in FY 2024–25. Other categories saw mixed movements.

The share of animal and vegetable fats and oils increased from 1.3 percent to 2.4 percent, while fertilizers declined from 2.1 percent to 1.8 percent. Project goods, used for specific industrial or infrastructure purposes, fell from 0.8% to 0.6%, and pearls, precious, and semi-precious stones dropped from 1.2 percent to 0.4 percent.

This heavy dependence on energy highlights Russia’s strategic importance to India(BHARAT)’s energy security. However, New Delhi is also working to balance this trade equation by diversifying its export basket. The goal is to move beyond traditional sectors like machinery, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals, and promote a wider range of products — from agricultural commodities to processed foods and manufactured goods.