RT India launches news service in Hindi

Russian diplomat Roman Babushkin has praised the launch of RT Hindi, the Indian language channel of RT India, calling it a “necessary” initiative.

In an interview with RT India Head of News Runjhun Sharma, the charge d’affaires at the Russian Embassy in New Delhi said – in flawless Hindi – that Indians will now be able to access unbiased and accurate information about Russia and the wider world in their own language. 

RT Hindi went live on September 7, nine months after RT India launched its English-language television channel. The platform will carry Indian news alongside international coverage and analysis for Hindi-speaking readers, with an emphasis on simple, accessible language and a broader international perspective. Its launch comes just days before New Delhi hosts the BRICS Summit.

Babushkin noted the long history of relations between the two countries, which predate India’s independence, saying India is “not merely a country, but a planet encompassing multiple languages and cultures.”

He also listed artificial intelligence, the Arctic, and space as priority areas for deeper bilateral cooperation, beyond the traditional pillars of defense and energy.

Sharma described the service as another “Bindi” (dot worn on the forehead by most Indian women) in India-Russia relations, saying it would help RT to reach hundreds of millions of Hindi speakers directly.

RT India debuted in December, when Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a state visit to New Delhi, joined RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan to formally launch the channel. Its Delhi-National Capital Region newsroom has since grown to more than 100 journalists and production staff.

On New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil despite pressure from Washington, Babushkin said Moscow and India “understand each other’s national interests very well,” adding that Russia is ready to provide what India needs.

“Friends do not try to pressure each other,” he said.