India, Dec. 1 -- Russian president Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi for an annual bilateral summit this week comes at a time when India finds itself in a very delicate balancing act between the legacy relationships with Moscow and more recent partnerships with Washington and Brussels. It will be an opportunity for India to reassert its strategic autonomy by revitalising defence and economic ties with Russia, especially as there are indications that the two sides are close to big-ticket outcomes in areas ranging from military hardware to civil nuclear cooperation. However, India must keep in mind that its new partners in the European Union (EU) will be keeping a close eye on those very outcomes as New Delhi prepares to host the top leadership of the 27-member European bloc for another summit in January. India will have to resort to very deft manoeuvring to ensure that the summit with Russia doesn't affect what is an increasingly consequential partnership with the EU, especially as the two sides are set to conclude a major trade deal. This is also about India smartly pivoting its foreign policy choices at a time of great geopolitical uncertainty and unpredictability on the international stage, mainly because of the policy shifts by the Trump administration in the US. With global institutions becoming increasingly irrelevant because of the whimsical positions of Trump 2.0, a period of bilateralism has kicked in. India has tackled this phase by actively pursuing legacy relations and scouting for new friends, and by expanding markets. Putin's visit comes against this backdrop. While defence acquisitions and joint development of hardware are central to India-Russia ties, New Delhi must address the lopsided nature of trade by ensuring greater access to Russian markets. India must also calibrate its approach to Russia's policy on Ukraine while keeping in mind Europe's concerns....