Key Points
The deepening alignment between China and Russia amid concerns about Moscow falling into Beijings orbit likely drove Prime Minister Narendra Modi to choose Russia for his first bilateral visit..
The visit has sparked intense debate within the strategic circle of China, which is closely monitoring Modis trip..
Several commentators argue that Russia is not solely reliant on its partnership with China and is actively pursuing a robust Look East strategy, evidenced by recent diplomatic engagements with North Korea and Vietnam, alongside hosting Modi..
A prevalent sentiment questions why India can maintain business ties with both Europe and Russia simultaneously without much scrutiny, while China faces severe criticism for similar actions..
Scholars like Long Xingchun from Sichuan International Studies University and commentators such as Hu Xijin emphasised China does not perceive closer India-Russia relations as a direct threat..
