Red line 'crossed' as major country joins Russia and Belarus's chilling WW3 war games

Around 30,000 soldiers from Russia and Belarus have been rehearsing for war with NATO, and they were joined by a country that boasts one of the biggest armies in the world as its relations with the US continue to deteriorate. Now, India has made a major statement by sending many of its own troops to join the Russia-led Zapad exercise, which includes ballistic missile launches and simulated airstrikes across Russia, the Arctic, the Baltic Sea and Belarus.

In recent months, India has become one of the targets of Donald Trump's tariffs, facing 50% surcharges on most Indian goods, was branded a "dead economy" by the US president and blasted by other senior officials as a "laundromat for the Kremlin" over its purchase of Russian oil. This downturn has also coincided with New Delhi's renewed olive branch to China and Russia, with preparations underway for a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to India later this year and Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelling to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and talks with Mr Putin and Xi Jinping.

The Indian defence ministry said it had dispatched 65 personnel, including elements of the Kumaon Regiment, one of the army's most respected units. They have been stationed at the Mulino training ground, 40 miles west of Nizhny Novgorod, western Russia, well away from the NATO border. The ministry added that these troops would be involved in "joint training, tactical drills and special arms skills" with Russia.

Delhi said it wanted to "further strengthen defence co-operation and foster camaraderie between India and Russia, thereby reinforcing the spirit of collaboration and mutual trust". The Indian Army is one of the world's largest military forces, with approximately 1.5 million active personnel and a reserve of about 960,000.

This reveal comes just as NATO has begun reinforcing its air defences near its eastern border after 21 Russian drones violated Polish airspace last week, followed by another which flew across the Romanian border with Ukraine over the weekend.

India previously took part in Zapad exercises before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has attended several other Russian war games since then.

However, analysts have claimed that its decision to join this current episode - at a time of heightened tensions between Russia and NATO - is a disconcerting signal, according to The Times.

"India's active participation in the Zapad exercise, following the drone incursion on Poland and chilling relations between Washington and New Delhi, raises concerns about the future extent of the US-India security relationship," said David Merkel, an American geostrategy consultant who previously led the Europe and Eurasia divisions of the US State Department. "[It] demonstrates the priority New Delhi places on its relations with Moscow, something Modi is leaning on more given the uncertainty of his relationship with President Trump."

Meanwhile, Ulrich Speck, a German foreign policy analyst, said India had "crossed a red line".

The Belarusian defence ministry said observers from three NATO member states - the US, Turkey and Hungary - had attended the war game, while neighbouring Poland, Latvia and Lithuania had all turned down invitations to send representatives.