Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India in December, a trip that could test New Delhi’s delicate balancing act between Moscow and Washington amid escalating pressure from the United States over oil and weapons purchases from the sanctioned country. AdvertisementAnalysts say the visit is likely to deepen India’s defiance of Western demands as it strengthens energy and defence ties with Russia. “Yes, we have finalised the time frame for [the] India visit of the president. It would take place before the new year sets in,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media on Thursday. AdvertisementRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to travel to India next month to finalise details of the trip, according to local media reports.