Although Russia loomed large in India’s popular imagination during the colonial period, only a small elite had direct exposure to its language, culture, or society. Systematic engagement began only after independence with the creation of Russian language and area studies centres. Yet, despite the depth of India–Russia ties, Russian studies in India remain underfunded and marginal. As people-to-people contacts between India and Russia expand, the question remains: will there be a stronger future for Russian studies in India?
Russia entered the popular imagination of India during the colonial period. The British Empire, with its long history of rivalry with Russia, sought to keep India insulated from Russian influence. In stark contrast, Indian freedom fighters, though to varying degrees, embraced the liberating and modernising ideals of socialism in their anti-colonial struggle. While communist revolutionaries dreamed of a violent overthrow of the British Empire, moderates drew inspiration from the Soviet Union’s educational, industrial, and scientific achievements. The Indian National Congress, an umbrella organisation for nationalists of all ideological hues, rejected the idea of a socialist revolution but recognised the transformative potential of socialism.