India’s failure to condemn Russian aggression in Ukraine at all costs reflects its longstanding relations with Moscow. But as the war enters a more brutal phase, it’s a price that might be too high to pay, even for cheap Russian oil and arms, if it draws New Delhi’s archrivals closer to Moscow.
The leader of the world’s largest democracy is having a hard time uttering the word that has dominated headlines and diplomatic discourse for nearly a month. “Ukraine” has topped multilateral and bilateral agendas since Russia launched its invasion last month, but Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears determined to avoid the subject at all costs.
