New Delhi, Dec. 7 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi drew intense global scrutiny, with the scale of the welcome unsettling several countries-many of which continue to trade with Russia even as they object to India's commercial ties with Moscow.

One wonders: if US President Donald Trump could roll out the red carpet for Putin in Alaska in August, should anyone object to Modi doing the same?

The US and Europe-which view Putin's "special military operations" in Ukraine as aggression and a blatant violation of sovereignty-have so far been unable to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Despite Trump's repeated claims that he could resolve the conflict "in one day" or "within a week" of taking office, the war continues, now thre...