Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India turned out to be high on optics and noise but less on content. One does not know what transpired behind closed doors but there were no big-bang announcements that people were expecting.

Yet it is clear that the Russian President would not have flown down with a large entourage and spent 27 hours in Delhi’s high AQI environment just for a vegetarian dinner at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. So, it was all about messaging and the signals were sent out loud and clear.

In diplomacy nothing happens by accident. Everything is meticulously planned, scripted, choreographed, calibrated with a great deal of thought and homework. Therefore, if any references were avoided on trade, defence or global affairs, it must have been with due deliberations prior to the visit. Russia had far less to lose or worry about any out-of-turn statements. But India is navigating turbulent waters on foreign affairs; therefore, it shows enormous understanding and sensitivity on its part to recognise the predicament of a friend and not queer the pitch further. Important matters can always be discussed in private — as it surely happened — without crowing about it from the top of Raisina Hill. It shows the maturity of the relationship and it feels nice to keep people guessing.

At home, attention was deflected by the juvenile controversy about the invitation list. Social media and prime time on television were consumed discussing the omission of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and his Rajya Sabha counterpart from the guest list of........

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