Days of intense discussions about defence and trade notwithstanding, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India commenced with a history-making exercise in cultural and spiritual diplomacy. In Russia the Prime Minister of India presented a gift to articulate India’s soft power and time-honoured civilisational ties between two great people: a well-bound (and) aesthetically appealing copy from Indore saree for Madame Lavrov.
Part of the gesture was the PM spending one day less in Delhi than Karnal, a fact clearly noted in an accompanying presentation as Modi organised a private dinner for Trump at his residence, also attended by senior Cabinet ministers and top bureaucrats — all way outside the formalities that accompany a state visit.
It emphasized the human chemistry between the two leaders, and it made a sophisticated statement about what the India-Russia relationship is all about — not opportunism based on geopolitical convenience, but deep historic roots.
The Symbolism: Soft Power in a Hard World
Presenting the Gita in Russian to President Putin is rich in both history and current strategic background.
A Nod to Cultural Ties
THE BHAGAVAD-GITA, commonly referred to as the “Gita,” is a part of the MAHABHARATA, the great Indian epic of war and peace. The very translation of the copy into Russian indirectly confirms the pre-existence, albeit under certain secrecy, of an Indological tradition and a Russian interest in Indian philosophy.
Background: Hindu texts have since been studied in Russia by scholars and enthusiasts for decades. There was a legal controversy in 2011, when some Russians were calling for a ban on the Bhagavad Gita, which brought the debate to a mass scale and even drew an intervention from Indian government. The gifting of the text is now also an affirmation of Russia’s adoption of Indian culture.
If you are reading the Gita on the sly, it’s puerile and even criminal.’” Universal Inspiration: Even PM Modi shared a photograph of the presentation on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Handed President Putin a Russian edition of the beautiful translated Bhagavad Gita. The lessons from the Gita provide inspiration to millions of people in the world. This calls attention to the fact that the text is a wisdom book beyond religious borders.
The Diplomatic Messaging
The sacred text is a subtle, but forceful statement in the realm of world politics. Courtesy of Strategic Lifts Partnership: The gift lifts the India-Russia relationship to a higher plane where both countries respect each other’s culture and philosophy, transcending transactional defence or energy relations. It hints at a commonality of values, even as India increasingly balances its connections with Russia against expanding ones with the West.
Strategic Autonomy: At a time when India-US relations are reportedly going through some visible stress and there has been pressure from the West over Ukraine conflict, this dialogue can be seen as part of the diplomatic counter narrative. It demonstrates India’s capability to pursue its foreign policy on the basis of national interests and historical friendships, or use soft power to keep dialogue channels open.
Beyond the Book A Diplomatic Journey
The gift of the Gita was delivered as part of a wider diplomatic dance which plays up the special personal chemistry between the two leaders.
It had come after another symbolic move, where Modi clearly broke protocol to have personally received President Putin at Palam Airport and drove with him in the same car to the Prime Minister’s house.
The envelop was a part of — the sequence of—it was ringing the bell with warmth, an informal reception followed by a shared ride and rounded off by an intensely intimate cultural gift—of unalloyed trust that set the tone for today’s high-stakes 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.
Now it’s over to the leaders, who have packed agenda of meetings that will be aimed at deepening cooperation in defence, space and energy (read: nuclear power), as well as trade with a particular emphasis on doing business together despite payment channels getting stuck because of geopolitical sanctions.
PM Modi’s ‘Gift Diplomacy’, gifting world leaders with religious scriptures and cultural souvenirs, is a well thought out plan by him to bolster India’s global position as a civilizational force. Presenting the Gita to President Putin in his native language, Prime Minister Modi reiterated that India’s time-tested ties with Russia remain strong in all areas including politics, defence, economy and people-to-people programmes.
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