Russian President Vladimir Putin has called India a "great power."
According to AFP, the Russian president said in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India on Monday that India is considered a great power, a friendly nation and a tried and tested friend.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited India to boost ties in the military and energy sectors.
Russia said last week that talks between the two countries' presidents would focus on the defense and energy sectors, while key energy deals are expected. The head of Russia's largest energy company Rosneft is also part of the delegation.Russia's role in supplying arms to India has been significant. Under a recent agreement between the two countries, Russia has provided India with a state-of-the-art S-400 missile defense system.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Indian friends had made it clear that they were an independent country and would decide for themselves whose weapons to buy and who would be India's partner.
The United States has set up a four-nation security dialogue to counter China's emerging power, which has raised concerns in China and Russia. In addition to the United States, these countries include India, Japan and Australia.During the Cold War, India and the Soviet Union had close ties, which the two countries linked with a special strategic partnership.
Nandan Ani Krishna, an official with the Observer Research Foundation, a Delhi-based think tank, said President Vladimir Putin's visit was "very symbolic".
He said Russia's close ties with China and India's relations with the United States had raised concerns about the nature of relations between India and Russia, but that all doubts had been allayed since President Vladimir Putin's visit.
Despite this, Russia will have to face regional complications, especially at a time when the situation is becoming increasingly tense over regional disputes between China and India.
Tatiana Belosova, an official at Jundal Global University in India, says Russia's influence in the region is very limited due to its close ties with China.
