As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to Italy as a guest at this week's G7 summit, support for Ukraine is high on the agenda for leaders of the world's most advanced economies.

The war has drawn scrutiny to Russia's close ties with India as Ukraine's Western partners urge Modi's government to condemn the 2022 invasion and put pressure on the Kremlin. While in Italy, Modi is also expected to discuss the issue with US President Joe Biden, although the meeting at the sidelines of the G7 summit has yet to be confirmed.

Modi is also facing a changed political landscape at home as he enters his third term. His Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) no longer holds an absolute majority in the Indian Parliament, forcing Modi's new government to rely on coalition partners.

However, analysts believe that India will largely stick to its established foreign policy, including its longstanding ties with Moscow.

"There is a political consensus across major political parties on ties with Russia. Many previous governments have been non-BJP, but the relationship with Russia flourished under them," Nandan Unnikrishnan, a distinguished fellow in Eurasia studies at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), a New Delhi-based think tank, told DW.

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In India, Russia enjoys a better public image than in the United States or Europe. India and Russia are also cooperating on weapons development.

The Kremlin has extended an "open invitation" for........

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