Zapad-2025 shocks NATO: Indian troops march alongside Russia and Belarus in exercises that included nuclear launch rehearsals.
Russia’s most provocative war games in years just gained a dramatic twist: India joined.
In Zapad-2025 — staged on Belarusian soil and overseen personally by Vladimir Putin — Moscow and Minsk rehearsed everything from small arms fire to tactical nuclear launches. At the heart of the drills: Russia’s Oreshnik hypersonic missile, tested in Ukraine last year, was once again fired in front of assembled troops and foreign observers.
Russian state TV called it a “message to NATO.” Western officials called it a rehearsal for Armageddon.
But what raised the most eyebrows in Washington wasn’t just the nuclear choreography — it was the presence of 65 Indian soldiers. Drawn from the storied Kumaon Regiment, they drilled alongside Russian, Belarusian, Iranian, and African forces, underscoring India’s long-standing defense ties with Moscow at a time when U.S.-India relations are fraying.
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko was blunt: “We are practising everything there. From rifles to nuclear warheads. Otherwise, why would they be on our soil?” Putin, clad in military attire, told commanders that 100,000 troops were involved, defending what he called the “union state” of Russia and Belarus.
For India, the optics are dangerous. The Modi government insists its participation was about “mutual trust and cooperation,” but in Washington the signal is clear: New Delhi is hedging. Trump has already slapped 50 percent tariffs on Indian imports, accusing India of indirectly fueling Russia’s war machine by buying cheap oil.
Yet, in the same week, Trump phoned Modi on his 75th birthday, calling him “a friend” and insisting trade talks were ongoing. It’s the paradox of India’s diplomacy: close to the U.S. in Asia, tied to Russia in arms, and unwilling to fully choose sides.
Meanwhile, Iran’s shadow loomed large. Though unconfirmed officially, Russian media claimed Tehran also sent troops, extending its military embrace of Moscow just months after signing a sweeping strategic pact. Together, Russia and Iran staged naval drills in the Caspian Sea after Israel bombed Iranian targets, sparking a 12-day war.
Zapad-2025 ended Tuesday with the Pentagon confirming its own officers were invited to observe. That alone speaks volumes: the U.S. was watching — and so was the world — as India stood shoulder to shoulder with Russia in a nuclear rehearsal Europe hoped it would never see.
