Irish Examiner view: Questions about India's embrace of Russia

'The world's largest democracy' needs to start living up to that claim

As the war moves into an even uglier phase, the world is starting to ask if Narendra Modi will come off the fence — and on which side. File picture: Narendramodi.in/AP

India likes to remind us it is the world’s largest democracy. And that is true. It is also true that since Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine the sub-continent has quadrupled its imports of Russian energy. It has also failed to censure or sanction Moscow on which it has historically relied for armaments and for support in the belligerent and tetchy relationship with Pakistan.

Self-interest might be the guiding spirit of Narendra Modi, that and Hindu nationalism, but as the war in Eastern Europe goes through its second, and fundamental, period an increasing number of countries are starting to wonder when India is going to come off the fence.