‘Symbolism & Substance’: Shashi Tharoor decodes Modi–Putin diplomacy amid high-stakes visit

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s India visit carries major diplomatic weight, noting that PM Modi’s symbolic gestures like receiving Putin at the airport and more. Tharoor stressed that while symbolism matters, the real substance lies in closed-doors. He added that India must maintain independent ties with the US, Europe, Russia, and China.