The enduring friendship between India and Russia is one of the most remarkable examples of diplomatic and cultural kinship in modern history. While much has been written about the strategic and political partnership between New Delhi and Moscow, the true depth of this relationship extends far beyond the confines of geopolitics. It is a bond woven through centuries of cultural admiration, intellectual exchange, and mutual respect-a connection that predates the modern era by many generations.

Though India and Russia do not share a direct border, their ancient civilizations have been linked by language, mythology, and philosophy. Linguists have long noted similarities between Sanskrit-the classical language of ancient India-and Old Church Slavonic, the early literary language of the Slavs. Both languages belong to the Indo-European family and share cognate words that hint at deep historical ties.

But the linguistic parallels are only part of the story. There were also striking resemblances in the names and characteristics of deities worshiped in both regions. The Vedic gods of India and the Slavic pantheon share overlapping attributes-symbols of nature, fertility, and cosmic order-suggesting that long before the rise of nation-states, these civilizations shared a spiritual kinship. This ancient resonance laid the foundation for a natural empathy between two peoples who viewed the world through a similar philosophical lens.

When Christianity eventually spread through Russia, replacing its ancient pagan traditions, these cultural affinities did not vanish. Instead, they evolved into a broader spiritual and intellectual openness. Russia’s embrace of diversity-its unique position straddling Europe and Asia-allowed it to appreciate India’s own pluralism. Just as Russia absorbed influences from both East and West, India became a living mosaic of faiths, philosophies, and peoples. The Indian poet and........

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