Indian PM Narendra Modi's first official visit to Moscow in his third term underscores the enduring strength of the India-Russia relationship, retired Lieutenant-Colonel J.S. Sodhi, an Indian Army veteran, told Sputnik in an interview, emphasizing the deep trust and reliability New Delhi has found in Moscow.
"Russia and the erstwhile USSR have never allowed their soil to be used for anti-India activities, unlike the US and the West," Sodhi noted. "If there is one country India can blindly trust and rely upon, it is only Russia."
He further pointed out that Russia has consistently provided India with vital technology transfers for its defense systems, a commitment lacking in Western counterparts.
This close relationship, however, has not gone unnoticed by the US-led West, which views Russia as a competitor for defense exports to India, he noted. The growing anti-India rhetoric from the West has served to further solidify India's reliance on Russia, according to Sodhi.
Beyond defense, the strong India-Russia partnership is seen as a crucial factor in maintaining regional stability.
"A strong and closer India-Russia friendship will help lower the ever-rising temperatures between China & Pakistan, and India," explained Sodhi.