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Amid intensifying global fragmentation and rising strategic autonomy across the Global South, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed a landmark roadmap to deepen their bilateral economic engagement through 2030, aiming to take trade beyond $100 billion.  Prez Putin and PM NaMo attended the Plenary Session of the India-Russia Trade Forum The wide-ranging Programme for the Development of Strategic Areas of India–Russia Economic Cooperation till 2030 was the centrepiece of the 23rd Annual Summit held in New Delhi on December 5, with the two sides signing 29 agreements spanning energy, mobility, healthcare, customs, polar training, labour migration, media, and advanced scientific cooperation. The summit, Putin’s first visit to India since the Ukraine war began, saw both leaders publicly reaffirm the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” between their countries, even as global alignments continue to shift.  “India-Russia ties have...

In a summit thick with strategic symbolism and sweeping bilateral action, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed 29 agreements and issued a joint declaration pledging to elevate their “time-tested progressive partnership” into a deeper geopolitical alignment rooted in sovereignty, stability, and multipolarity.  Indian PM NaMo with Russian Prez Putin At the center of the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit, held in New Delhi on December 5, was a key policy milestone: the formal adoption of the Program for the Development of Strategic Directions of Russian–Indian Economic Cooperation until 2030.  This is  a forward-looking document that defines new rules of engagement across trade, defence, energy, migration, and critical technologies amid shifting global power centres. The two leaders met at Hyderabad House for in-depth talks before witnessing the signing of wide-ranging intergovernmental and institutional agreements, including on labo...

In a highly choreographed display of diplomatic warmth and strategic alignment, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held bilateral talks in New Delhi this week. Together the Russian President and the Indian Prime Minister sent a clear signal of continuity and deepening ties between the two long-standing partners even as global tensions mount over the ongoing war in Ukraine and shifting geopolitical alliances. PM NaMo welcoming President Vladimir Putin at Hyderabad House Greeting Putin with a handshake and a rare protocol-breaking hug upon his arrival, Modi hosted the Russian leader at Hyderabad House for the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit.  “India is on the side of peace,” Modi said firmly, reiterating New Delhi’s consistent message throughout the Ukraine conflict.  “The welfare of the world is only through the path of peace… together, we must look for the pathways to peace.” Putin, addressing the crisis directly, thanked Modi for his att...

US President Donald Trump has claimed that the United States is “working very hard” to end the Ukraine conflict and expressed optimism that a peace agreement involving Russia and Ukraine could soon be reached.  Image Source: FanTrumpArmy Speaking ahead of the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at the White House on December 3, Trump stated, “We're making peace all over the world… We're settling wars at levels that nobody's ever seen before. Eight of them.  We're looking for one more. That's Russia-Ukraine… and I think we’ll get there eventually.” Trump’s comments came amid intensifying diplomatic contacts between Washington and Moscow, including a five-hour meeting at the Kremlin on December 2 between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff, accompanied by Trump’s son-in-law and former White House adviser Jared Kushner.  According to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, the discussions focused on a revised US peace proposal com...

Germany has deployed five Eurofighter Typhoon jets and around 150 personnel from its Tactical Air Wing 31 “Boelcke” to Poland as part of NATO’s reinforced air policing mission on the Alliance’s eastern flank, the German Air Force confirmed this week.  Image Source: NATO Air Command The move underscores Berlin’s firm commitment to collective defence and comes amid ongoing regional security concerns stemming from Russia’s actions in Ukraine and broader tensions along NATO’s eastern perimeter. The German detachment will support NATO’s 24/7 Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) operations, a continuous peacetime mission designed to ensure that Allied airspace remains secure, controlled, and protected from potential intrusions or threats.  Operating under NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) in Uedem, Germany’s Eurofighter pilots and ground crews will work in close coordination with the Polish Air Force, conducting regular training flights and readiness exercises.  These operati...

In a crucial state visit to Beijing on December 4, 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping renewed commitments to deepening bilateral relations, positioning the China-France partnership as a pillar of stability amid escalating global fragmentation.  Image Source: Visegrad24 As Europe’s most prominent advocate for strategic autonomy, Macron’s high-profile engagement with Xi highlights a deepening convergence between Paris and Beijing on key global governance issues, even as Western alliances face stress over Ukraine, Middle East tensions, and global trade realignments. President Xi, hosting Macron for the fourth time on Chinese soil, described the relationship as one between two “independent, visionary and responsible major countries,” and urged both sides to continue shaping a more “equal and orderly multipolar world” through strengthened cooperation in trade, green technology, global governance, and peace diplomacy.  During the visit, which in...

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Thursday evening for a tightly choreographed two-day state visit. This marks a significant reaffirmation of the India–Russia strategic partnership at a time of deepening geopolitical rifts and growing divergence between India and the West over Ukraine.  Image Source: PM NaMo As Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Putin with a warm embrace at Palam Airport, the visit--Putin’s first to India since 2021 and his first anywhere in the region since the invasion of Ukraine--set in motion a high-stakes diplomatic engagement that signals India’s intent to maintain and expand its historical ties with Moscow despite rising pressure from Western capitals. The visit comes at a time when India–US relations have faced visible strain, with tensions emerging around Ukraine diplomacy, defence alignment, and global leadership postures.  Against this backdrop, the Putin-Modi summit on Friday is expected to focus on expanding bilateral de...

The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled a long-anticipated plan to provide Ukraine with a multibillion-euro loan backed by profits from frozen Russian assets. This move is framed as both an economic lifeline for Kyiv and a geopolitical message to Moscow that prolonging war will carry escalating costs. Image Source: Visegrad24 Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc is aiming to provide €90 billion to cover two-thirds of Ukraine’s estimated funding needs for 2026 and 2027, using a dual structure: EU market borrowing and cash balances generated by Russian assets immobilised in European financial institutions. “Pressure is the only language the Kremlin responds to,” von der Leyen told reporters. “We want peace, but peace must come from a position of strength.” The proposal, released ahead of a decisive EU summit later this month, comes amid signs of deadlock in international peace efforts.  Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed Wednesday that President V...

Russian President Vladimir Putin used a high-profile international investment forum in Moscow to reinforce his country’s defiant economic narrative and shift in geopolitical orientation, positioning India and China as key pillars of Russia’s external economic strategy.  At the same time, in a parallel engagement, Putin reviewed efforts to rebuild the conflict-affected Kursk region, linking local revival with broader themes of national resilience and historical memory. Addressing foreign investors and delegates at the 16th VTB Investment Forum and the “Russia Calling!” plenary, Putin laid out an assertive economic vision grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance, and what he described as the rejection of “anti-competitive practices” by Western powers.  He accused Western nations of attempting to preserve global dominance through “non-market restrictions” and reiterated that Russia would continue to pursue independent economic policies, deepen trade with non-Western partners, and a...

India has lodged a strong diplomatic protest with Beijing after a UK-based Indian woman, originally from Arunachal Pradesh, was reportedly detained for nearly 18 hours at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport by Chinese immigration officials who refused to recognise her Indian passport.  The episode has escalated tensions between the two countries, with New Delhi asserting that Arunachal Pradesh remains an integral and inalienable part of India. Image Source: Romita Romi on X The traveller, Pema Wangjom Thongdok, was en route from London to Japan with a transit stop in Shanghai on November 21 when Chinese officials flagged her Indian passport as “invalid” due to her Arunachal Pradesh birthplace.  She described the ordeal as deeply distressing, noting that she was held without formal documentation and was unable to contact her embassy or family due to China’s ban on social media platforms and search engines. PTI: An Indian woman hailing from Arunachal Pradesh has said that sh...

European leaders have issued a unified but cautious response to the newly revealed 28-point United States peace proposal for Ukraine, voicing support for diplomatic efforts while warning that the current framework is deeply flawed and risks undermining both Ukrainian sovereignty and European security.  Image Source: Zelenskyy The plan, widely reported to have been crafted by the Trump-led administration, has alarmed key capitals across the EU and G7 due to its heavy concessions to Russia, including recognition of annexed territories and long-term restrictions on Ukraine’s military capabilities. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Washington’s engagement but asserted that the proposal must be significantly strengthened.  “No border can be changed by force, and Ukraine must never be left vulnerable,” Macron said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed this view, stating that while the draft contains elements essential to a future settlement, any agreeme...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that his government is actively reviewing a US-drafted plan to end the nearly four-year war with Russia, as Kyiv grapples with renewed battlefield assaults and growing diplomatic pressure from Washington. Image Source: Zelenskyy In a post shared on Friday, Zelenskyy said his team was “working on the document prepared by the American side,” adding that discussions were ongoing with France, Germany, and the UK to ensure that “principled stances are taken into account.”  The plan, widely attributed to US President Donald Trump, outlines 28 points that include conditions Ukraine is expected to accept in exchange for peace, among them territorial concessions, limits on its military, and permanent exclusion from NATO. Reports suggest the proposal would allow Russia to retain control of Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk, and to maintain influence over parts of Zaporizhia and Kherson by freezing battle lines. In return, the West would lift ...

An Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet crashed during an aerobatic demonstration at the Dubai Airshow on Friday, killing the pilot in a high-profile accident that has sent shockwaves through India’s defence establishment and the global aviation community.  Image Source: Flight Radar The incident occurred around 2:10 pm local time during a complex aerial manoeuvre at Al Maktoum International Airport on the final day of the international air exhibition. The HAL-built Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, which had been performing a loop followed by a negative-G turn, lost altitude rapidly and slammed into the ground in full view of spectators.  Videos shared online showed the aircraft nosediving and exploding in a massive fireball, sending plumes of black smoke into the Dubai sky and prompting an immediate emergency response. An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show, today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. IAF deeply...