China and India have so far neither condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nor supported Western sanctions. India has taken a neutral stance, including abstaining from UN Security Council resolutions – both for and against Russia. The country, the world’s most populous democracy with more than 1.3 billion people, has not moved to criticize Russia’s war of aggression despite pressure from the United States and Europe. The reason: India and Russia have long and close ties.
Much of its military equipment also comes from Russia. It is arming itself against rivals China and Pakistan and is already dependent on Moscow for spare parts. But India also has good relations with the US – and prefers to stay out.
However, India wants to expand its trade with Russia and, for example, wants to buy Russian oil ever cheaper. There are also reports that India and Russia are looking for a solution to facilitate this trade through an alternative to the SWIFT banking communications network.