India hosts Putin as it balances ties with Russia, US
By ASHOK SHARMA and SHEIKH SAALIQ
Associated Press
NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday to discuss defense and trade relations as India attempts to balance its ties with the United States. The two countries are expected to sign agreements in trade and defense. India and Russia have a long history of close ties. But recently, India has drawn closer to the United States, which it considers critical to countering China. India and China have had a months-long military standoff along their disputed border in eastern Ladakh, where deadly clashes erupted last year. Russia, meanwhile, has expressed reservations over the formation of the Quad, a grouping involving the U.S., India, Japan and Australia formed in response to China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
