This post first appeared on Russia Insider
When it comes to India, Russia has enormous soft power goodwill going back to India's very creation.
Gandhi greatly admired Tolstoy and was influenced by his thinking on non-violence. Nehru admired the USSR's socialism. The ties are deep and strong, as this segment demonstrates.
Transcript:
Let's talk about another Russia's strategic partner. India.
Despite the pressure from the US and anti-Russian sanctions, India is willing to close the deal on the purchase of S-400 Triumf missile systems. A Gazprom< tanker has delivered the first batch of LNG to Indian shores. The contract is valid for 20 years.
The two countries have many joint projects, increasing total trade by about 20% per year.
Our own correspondent, Dmitry Melnikov reports from India where the new VGTRK bureau is now open.
While some countries defiantly impose anti-Russian sanctions, India's Foreign Minister, Sushma Swaraj just as defiantly visits our delegation in Delhi to wish Russia a happy Russia Day.
A giant Indian fig tree that grows by the Embassy has witnessed many decades of bilateral relations. With this visit, Delhi shows that India's relations with Moscow will always remain preferential.
The residents of India's capital traditionally greet the sun with morning yoga in the New Delhi park under the strict supervision of Lenin's monument. All these years, local communists have been hanging fresh flower arrangements around the monument's neck.
They also read poems in Russian by another famous Russian monument every year.
"They will hear about me all over Great Russia."
We were always close, and after a long break, Indians now try to closely study the Russian language, just like how the Russian and Indian governments try to increase the not-so-impressive trade.
Ramadhikari Kumar, a Jawaharlal Nehru University Professor:
"It may seem the interest is decreasing, but it isn't so. Russia and India have things in common, even emotionally."
Russia and India are expanding their energy partnership not based on emotions, but on mutually beneficial conditions. Earlier, an LNG tanker delivered the first batch of Russian LNG to India's Dahej harbor located in the home province of India's prime minister, Narendra Modi.
Soon, Rosatom will deliver new safe fuel to India's Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.
The recent meeting between the Russian president and the Indian prime minister at Sochi gave new momentum to this old friendship, and Vladimir Putin is expected in Delhi this fall.
Amid the new alliances, Russia and India show the world how old allies take their relations to a fundamentally new level.
This post first appeared on Russia Insider
Anyone is free to republish, copy, and redistribute the text in this content (but not the images or videos) in any medium or format, with the right to remix, transform, and build upon it, even commercially, as long as they provide a backlink and credit to Russia Insider. It is not necessary to notify Russia Insider. Licensed Creative Commons
Our commenting rules: You can say pretty much anything except the F word. If you are abusive, obscene, or a paid troll, we will ban you. Full statement from the Editor, Charles Bausman.