The government subtly rebuffed the president’s comments that it would stop buying Russian oil, as it tries to avoid a public fight and end a trade dispute with Washington.
The unraveling of relations between the United States and India has convinced many Indian officials that the country should return to its difficult balancing act of nonalignment.
With the leaders of Russia and India visiting, China’s president will show how he can use statecraft, military might and history to push for global influence.