New Delhi: There was a moment during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India that brought when a bit of nostalgia—and now the same old thing has come up then in a new meaning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a reprinting to Putin on the occasion of welcoming him—the translated Bhagavad Gita. But this is the same Gita, which, virtually 2011, there was a demand to ban in Russia by calling it 'extremist literature.'
When Geeta became the rationalization of controversy
In 2011, there was a controversy over a translated version of the Gita in the Siberian municipality of Tomsk, Russia. Local officials had demanded a ban on the sale of this book, calling it literature that would spread anarchy. Because of this, there was snooping among the Indian polity living there and the followers of the Hindu religion. At that time this news was in the headlines in India also.
Today the same Geeta has wilt a symbol of friendship
But in 2025, when Modi and Putin met in Delhi, Geeta reverted the whole story. In Delhi, on the way from the airport to the Prime Minister's residence—during a personal conversation—Modi presented Putin with a reprinting of the Gita translated into Russian. It was not just a typesetting but a message: old disagreements are now overdue us, and trust and respect have deepened then in India–Russia relations.
Modi moreover shared the moment on social media and noted the universality of the teachings of the Gita—which are not just religious but moreover rooted in moral and humanitarian values.
The power of friendship and culture
This meeting made it well-spoken that not only strategic partnership but moreover deep cultural understanding has returned between India and Russia. That Gita, which was once considered controversial—today the same typesetting has wilt a underpass of friendship between the two countries. Don't think of it as just a gift—it's a kind of fresh start, a new installment of trust without old misunderstandings.
Today, the Gita has wilt a symbol, transcending the boundaries of language or religion: that real friendship consists of respect, understanding, and shared culture, not favoritism or prejudice.
