Five weeks into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, India has been walking a diplomatic tightrope, trying to balance its ties with Moscow and the West. Many say it’s because of India’s dependence on Russian military hardware, and its old friendship with the Kremlin. Add to that around $10 billion in bilateral trade - but critics point out that India’s bilateral trade with the US exceeds $100bn.

What is driving India’s policy on the international stage? Is “strategic autonomy” becoming an outdated concept in the changing world order, or can India leverage its neutral stand to build stronger ties with all nations, and play the role of a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss the choices India has made and their likely impact on its relationship with the West.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Photo: A peace campaigner holds portraits of Russian President, Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky in Bhopal, India Credit: Getty Images