As the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, announced a new era in the strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing, they sent a signal to the rest of the world that India too would do well to absorb. Mr Putin and Mr Xi used their meeting in Beijing to reaffirm their joint opposition to the United States of America, which they projected as a threat to global peace and stability. They committed to strengthening their ties even as Mr Putin emphasised Russia’s support for the 'One China principle', recognising Beijing’s sovereignty over Taiwan, and appeared to agree with the Chinese peace proposal to end the war in Ukraine. They also announced their intent to deepen ties in technology and energy — sectors where Russia and China have both faced US-led sanctions in recent years. The message to the US and its allies in the West was clear: Mr Putin and Mr Xi plan to make their bilateral relationship the bedrock of their geopolitical strategy as tensions between them and the West mount.

Yet, as significant as what was said was the symbolism of Mr Putin’s visit. The Chinese and Russian sides both underscored how frequently their leaders had met in recent years. Mr Putin chose China for his first overseas visit after starting his latest term in office. It is this messaging that New Delhi must note with care. Even as India has steered a careful middle path on the Russia-Ukraine war, refusing to condemn Moscow, it has subtly tried to distance itself from Mr Putin. In recent months, it has hosted senior Ukrainian officials, while Narendra Modi, in interviews, has iterated how he told the Russian president that this was not an era of war. Mr Putin’s visit to Beijing also strikes a contrast with his absence from the G20 Summit in New Delhi last September. Indeed, Mr Putin has not visited India since the start of Russia’s full-fledged invasion of Ukraine. Nor has Mr Modi visited Russia in this period. It is no secret that India wants to avoid having to explain Mr Modi’s visits to Moscow and Mr Putin’s trips to New Delhi to its Western friends amidst the Ukraine war. Recent tensions between New Delhi and some Western capitals should underscore the risks of this approach. It is time for India to remind Russia that their friendship still has plenty to offer to both of them.