Late last week, Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, deploying the might of the Russian military to conduct a hostile takeover of its sovereign neighbor. Over the past few days, India’s role has received significant attention as it has neither condoned Russia’s behavior nor condemned it in the strongest terms. 

India has a long strategic relationship with Russia that it can ill afford to rupture when it has thousands of Chinese troops on its northern border. At the same time, there are increasing calls from the West for India to “get off the fence.”

This week on the show, Milan sits down with strategic affairs expert Dr. Rajeswari (Raji) Pillai Rajagopalan to talk about the ongoing Ukraine crisis. Dr. Rajagopalan is the director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi. She has extensive experience—both inside and outside of government—on matters of Indian foreign policy and national security. 

Milan and Raji discuss the history of India-Russia relations, the extent of shared defense ties, and the friction that has developed in the relationship. Plus, the two discuss India’s tight-rope walk on Ukraine and the ramifications of the crisis for the Indo-Pacific. 

1. Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, “Why Did Russian President Putin Visit India?” Observer Research Foundation, December 15, 2021.
2. Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, “India’s Place in the New U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy,” Observer Research Foundation, February 24, 2021.
3. Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, “Putin and Xi Frame a New China-Russia Partnership,” Observer Research Foundation, February 15, 2021.
4. “The Looming Cloud of Sanctions Over U.S.-India Relations,” (with Sameer Lalwani), Grand Tamasha, September 29, 2021.