The West is scrambling to decode India’s message during Putin’s visit to New Delhi, with reactions swinging from accusing New Delhi of embracing a “war criminal" to anxious commentary that India is drifting into the “Russia-China camp." Both readings are wrong. Modi’s embrace of Putin is India telling the West to back off. Back off from dictating, interfering or throttling Indian foreign policy.

In New Delhi’s diplomacy, everything is intentional. PM Modi’s decision to personally receive Putin at the airport, riding beside him and breaking protocol, was a deliberate display of India’s strategic autonomy. With Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on India, 25 per cent for the purchase of Russian oil, Delhi used this moment to signal that it won’t be bullied. The message to the West is: India has always been on the side of peace, it will stick to its national interest come what may, and if you want to be in India’s good graces, treat it as a sovereign equal, not a junior partner to be pressured.

There were no signs of hesitation or discomfort as Modi and Putin met. In fact, it was the opposite. The warm optics were broadcast worldwide, and they signalled a simple learning: the West’s entire campaign to tear India and Russia apart is a futile effort. India values and rewards a time-tested, stable relationship. And there shall be no ambiguity, no doubts and no........

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