India at Russia's Zapad Military Drills: Why the Timing is Significant?

India's decision to send 65 soldiers in the Russian-led Zapad-2025 military drills that included simulations for the launch of nuclear weapons came as US's partners in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) are on edge over war games on its doorstep. The war games, military analysts say, were designed to intimidate the rest of Europe, starting with Poland.In Delhi, officials cited participation

in the Zapad games as proof of deepening long-standing ties with Russia.While this is not the first time India has participated in Russian military exercises, New Delhi's participation in the drills comes as India and the US seek to address trade barriers after a diplomatic strain last month.The Ministry of Defence sent a battalion of the renowned Kumaon Regiment for the multi-nation drill that involved task forces from Iran, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Mali. The US also sent its military officials to observe the drills after accepting an official invitation.Around 100,000 troops, backed by nuclear-capable bombers, warships, heavy artillery, 333 aircraft, and 247 naval vessels, including submarines participated in the exercise in Mulino Training Ground in Nizhny Novgorod.Russian President Vladimir Putin, who oversaw the active phase wearing military fatigue, highlighting the drills' focus on strengthening defence and demonstrating readiness to counter potential threats.This is the first such military drill since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The exercise comes as tensions in the region remain high, notably after Poland shot down Russian drones crossing its airspace last week.India's participation comes amid heightened trade tensions with the US over trade and strategic issues. Last month, President Donald Trump imposed hefty tariffs on Indian goods, accusing New Delhi of "funding" Russia's military actions in Ukraine through its purchase of Russian oil.

For New Delhi, participation in Zapad-2025 reflects the continuation of longstanding defence ties with Moscow while walking a tightrope with Washington, which sees India as a key counterweight to China in Asia.India-Russia Relations India has, on numerous occasions, participated in Russian military exercises.In 2021, shortly before Russia's full-scale operation in Ukraine, New Delhi sent an unspecified number of troops to Russia's Volgograd region to join activities linked to "Counter Terrorism and Conventional operations".Throughout the Cold War, India maintained its policy of non-alignment, but it sourced most of its weapons from the Soviet Union. Even though a majority of New Delhi's current defence equipment is from Moscow, New Delhi, over the past two decades, has attempted to diversify its weapons imports.NATO Concerned Over Russian DrillsThe Zapad exercises have drawn criticism from NATO members for their scale and opacity. Past drills have been accused of underreporting troop numbers to bypass OSCE monitoring rules. Western officials say Russia has previously used such exercises as cover for larger operations, including its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.In recent years, Zapad drills have included scenarios with tactical nuclear weapons and missile systems such as the Russian Oreshnik, signalling Moscow’s deterrence posture. Lithuania reinforced security along its Belarusian border, while NATO is conducting parallel drills in Poland and Lithuania this month.