Modi-Putin Summit 2024 : Analyzing the Regional Dynamics

Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi visited Moscow on July 8, and participated in India-Moscow annual summit is a significant event, especially considering it's the first visit after the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in Feb. 2022. Modi's visit to Moscow, in the context of India's enhanced relations with the United States and its prominent position in the Quad grouping in the Indo-Pacific, raises questions about the dynamics of New Delhi-Moscow relations. We noted the reactions and comments from the Ukraine and Washington on the meeting.

Panelists:
Dr. Satoru Nagao, non-resident fellow at the Hudson Institute, from Tokyo, Japan.
Amb. Anil Trigunayat (Fmr.) He is the former Amb. of India to Jordon, Malta, and Libya and a distinguished fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation, from New Delhi, India.
Ms. Nataliya Butyrska, an expert on the Asia-Pacific, joined from Kyiv, Ukraine.

Here are the few questions for our discussion:
Q.1. Why this timing? What were the external or internal pressure to visit at the time when it coincides with NATO Summit in Washington? As per US official, the visit made it “difficult and uncomfortable” for Biden Administration. “Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell spoke with Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra in early July hoping that the Modi-Putin encounter might be rescheduled to avoid coinciding with the NATO Summit”

Q.2. US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said at a recent address that though the India-US relationship is wider and deeper than it's ever been, it is not deep enough to be taken "for granted." The envoy further said that he respects the fact that India likes its strategic autonomy but in times of conflict, no such thing exists. What will be the future course of Action in US-India relations?

Q 3. The joint statement has 81 points of cooperation in trade, economics, connectivity, civil nuclear, military & technical, education, science, and the target of bilateral trade with $100 billion by 2030.
How we can explain this to the students who have been working on U.S.-India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership? Is it hedging or balancing?

Q 4. It is expected that Russia and China will push for a common currency at the upcoming BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024. Will India accept this proposal? And how will it benefit India, especially when its adversary China has dominance in the BRIC grouping ?