NEW DELHI (Realist English). Russian President Vladimir Putin and RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan took part in a ceremony on Thursday marking the official launch of RT India, the network’s new broadcasting service operating from a purpose-built studio complex in the Indian capital.
Simonyan opened the event by thanking Putin for inaugurating the channel, calling the launch a milestone for RT at a time when, she said, several “hostile” countries have restricted or criminalised cooperation with the network. India, by contrast, she described as “hospitable and well-intentioned,” welcoming RT’s expansion and encouraging open dialogue.
As part of a nationwide promotional campaign, RT India has installed themed metro cars celebrating Russian–Indian friendship, placed large-scale billboards across major cities, and created interactive public installations — including a “matryoshka” set in central Delhi that allows passersby to try themselves as RT presenters. A lit-up bridge installation in Mumbai was also unveiled ahead of Putin’s arrival.
After a short video presentation, Putin praised the long history of Russian–Indian ties and said the new channel would help Indian audiences understand modern Russia more clearly.
“This launch gives millions of Indian citizens the opportunity to see today’s Russia — how we live, what we value, what we strive for,” he said. He added that the roots of bilateral friendship “go far deeper than the past few decades” and rest on mutual interest and benefit.
Quoting former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Putin noted that cooperation between the two countries has “always served us and never harmed others,” calling it an accurate reflection of the partnership’s character.
Putin also addressed the restrictions imposed on RT in several Western countries, saying the bans were “not out of malice but out of fear — fear of the truth.” He insisted that RT’s mission is not propaganda but providing “accurate information” about Russia and global affairs, contrasting it with what he called Western state-aligned media.
“I am confident that Russia Today will play its part brilliantly,” Putin said, congratulating the network and its future Indian audience.
Simonyan closed the ceremony by assuring the president that RT India’s team would “do everything not to disappoint” and work daily to live up to the high expectations he outlined.
RT India will begin broadcasting immediately from its new studios in New Delhi, expanding Russia’s media presence in one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing information markets.
