The Moscow Connect

India’s World begins 2026 with its first monthly issue, marking a new phase in the magazine’s evolution. The Moscow Connect examines Russia’s enduring importance to India at a moment of global upheaval—shaped by war in Europe, sanctions, the erosion of arms control, and an increasingly contested multipolar order.

Curated in the context of President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to New Delhi, this issue interrogates the many dimensions of the “Russia factor” in Indian foreign policy. In the Argument section, former ambassador Pankaj Saran makes the case for why Russia remains an indispensable power for India. The Cover Story brings together leading voices including Jabin T. Jacob, Vasily Kashin, Dmitri Trenin, Aleksei Zakharov, and Fyodor Lukyanov to analyse Russia’s evolving ties with China, its role in South Asia, the future of strategic stability in Eurasia, and the implications of the weakening of global institutions. The issue also examines India’s complex defence relationship with Russia and the challenge of preserving strategic autonomy amid intensifying great-power competition.

Beyond geopolitics, this issue of India’s World ranges widely across ideas, history, and culture. A rich and expansive Art and Culture section explores literature, music, cinema, fashion, and migration—going well beyond Russia to reflect the magazine’s broader intellectual canvas. The issue also features distinctive formats and special features, including a geopolitics crossword designed to engage readers in fresh and playful ways.

Combining rigorous analysis with cultural depth and inventive storytelling, this issue captures a world—and an India—navigating transition with curiosity, confidence, and strategic clarity.