F or more than two decades, Washington and New Delhi built a strategic partnership that was hailed as one of the great success stories of post–Cold War diplomacy. Today, that relationship is facing its most serious test in years — and India is signaling it has other options.

Russia and India will continue their energy trade despite pressure from the US, as Moscow has offered India a 5 per cent discount on oil, despite the sanctions on the latter from the West.

Babushkin added: “This is not the first time our trade and economic relations [have been] threatened by external factors. But each and every time, we have managed to succeed in finding ways to coopera...