Russia Today launches Hindi operations in India ahead of Putin's visit

New Delhi, Sep 7 (IANS) RT (Russia Today) launched its Hindi digital operation in India, expanding the Russian state-backed broadcaster's presence beyond the English-speaking audience it has cultivated over the past year and into India's vast Hindi-language news market. 

The launch comes days before the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13 and ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's expected visit to India, where he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The move represents another milestone in RT's growing media footprint in the country.

Branded with the Hindi tagline "Fark Nazariye Ka" ("The world looks different from here"), RT's new platform appears aimed at presenting alternative perspectives on global affairs to Indian audiences. The launch campaign prominently features journalist Runjhun Sharma, RT India's Head of News, who has previously been part of President Putin's media pool during high-level international summits.

The messaging behind the initiative suggests that global events can be viewed through multiple lenses and that perspectives beyond the Western narrative deserve space in public discourse. With the launch of rthindi.com, RT is extending that approach to India's largest linguistic audience.

In one of the platform's early interviews, Sharma spoke in Hindi with Russian Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin, providing a first glimpse of RT's Hindi-language editorial programming. The Russian Embassy in New Delhi has also announced the launch, describing RT Hindi as a new Hindi-language digital news platform.

Speaking to RT India, Babushkin said the initiative would enable more Hindi-speaking viewers to access what he described as timely and reliable information. He argued that the current global information environment was increasingly shaped by efforts to limit Russian perspectives and said RT Hindi would provide audiences with direct access to news and developments concerning Russia.

Referring to what he called an ongoing information campaign against Russia by Western countries, Babushkin said there was a growing need to provide Hindi-speaking audiences with objective information about Russia and bilateral relations between Moscow and New Delhi.

The launch has also drawn attention from Indian political figures associated with RT India's programming. Former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who hosts RT's In Conversation With, contributed an opinion piece to the Hindi platform, highlighting the longstanding strategic partnership between India and Russia.

"India and Russia have together seen many seasons change but have remained steadfast, reliable strategic partners. As the world continues to be stirred and shaken, with the rules-based order under stress, the comfort of our friendship is invaluable. My best wishes to RT for this farsighted initiative," Khurshid wrote.

RT's expansion in India reflects a broader process of localisation. What began as an English-language television operation has evolved into a wider India-focused media presence involving Indian journalists, political personalities, public figures, media partnerships and now a dedicated Hindi-language digital platform.

"The launch of RT Hindi digital operations marks a natural next step in RT's commitment to India, with more than 500 million Hindi speakers," said Ashok Bagriya, CEO of RT India.

"With RT Hindi, we are taking our India-focused journalism to an even wider audience, bringing our coverage of India, Russia and the world to Hindi-speaking viewers. We have also significantly expanded our team, with around 50 professionals from across the industry joining the operation," he added.

Bagriya said RT India would remain the umbrella organisation for the broadcaster's activities in the country as it explores potential expansion into additional Indian regional languages.

RT India was formally launched in New Delhi in December 2025 by Russian President Vladimir Putin alongside RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan during Putin's visit to India. The initiative was presented as a media bridge between the two countries.

Since beginning broadcasts from studios in New Delhi later that month, RT India has increasingly focused on localised programming featuring Indian journalists, political personalities and public figures. The launch of RT Hindi extends that strategy further, taking the broadcaster's India-focused content to a substantially larger audience.

The significance of the move is straightforward: RT is broadening its reach beyond an English-speaking and internationally oriented audience to build a dedicated platform for Hindi-speaking viewers across India.

The initial launch established RT's presence in the country. The Hindi-language platform now represents its most significant expansion yet, bringing the broadcaster's content to India's largest linguistic audience.

--IANS

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