A political analyst claims that India is in a difficult position due to its close relationship with Russia.

• According to political analyst James Crabtree, India likely understands that maintaining close ties with Moscow may not be advantageous if Russia is ostracized as a pariah state.
• He said Russian weapons help India manage its biggest worry — neighboring China.
• A study by the Stimson Center reveals that approximately 85% of India's military equipment is sourced from Russia or was previously from the Soviet Union.

India faces a dilemma as it heavily depends on Russian weapons for its defense, but maintaining close ties with Moscow may not be ideal if Russia is labeled a "pariah state," a political analyst said to CNBC.

Russia faced heavy sanctions from the international community following its invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago.

According to James Crabtree, executive director at the International Institute for Strategic Studies Asia, India is in a trap.

Russian weapons aid India in managing its primary concern, which is neighboring China. Crabtree stated that tensions between the two countries could escalate "at any moment." In recent years, China and India have engaged in border disputes.

The Indian ministry of external affairs did not provide a prompt response to CNBC's inquiry for comment.

In the near future, it is likely that India will realize that maintaining close ties with Russia as a pariah state is not beneficial to its interests, according to Crabtree's statement on CNBC's "Street Signs Asia" on Wednesday.

He added that the weapon systems are still necessary, even though they are Russian.

A study by the Stimson Center reveals that approximately 85% of India's military equipment is sourced from Russia or was previously from the Soviet Union.

Moscow and New Delhi have always had a very deep relationship, according to Crabtree.

India did not participate in recent UN votes concerning Russia's conflict in Ukraine.

China

India is most concerned about China, hence it requires Russian weapons. However, this also motivates India to invest a considerable amount of time in building relationships with Washington and major European countries, who share similar objectives in counterbalancing China in Asia, according to Crabtree.

Although many people might not want to acknowledge it, India and Russia share a more similar worldview than is commonly believed, he stated.

According to Crabtree, Russia is open to a new era of multipolarity, where the U.S. is no longer the dominant power. India is also accepting of this change.

A significant portion of the Indian population is skeptical of the West and the United States. Indians are more divided on the crisis in Ukraine compared with people in other countries who are overwhelmingly horrified, according to him.

He stated that India will maintain its collaboration with Quad members as long as China remains a threat. Quad is a security forum comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S., which initially started as an informal discussion but has since evolved into a significant cooperation on worldwide concerns.

According to Crabtree, it is likely that India will strengthen its ties with the West and gradually distance itself from Russia, while still maintaining its grip on crucial weapon systems.