Russia’s RT has launched its Hindi-language digital news operation in India ‘RT Hindi’, expanding its presence beyond English-language coverage and directly targeting the country’s massive Hindi-speaking audience.
The launch comes at a politically significant moment. India is preparing to host the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12–13, while Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
RT Hindi is being launched with the tagline “Fark nazariye ka” i.e. “The world looks different from here.” Journalist Runjhun Sharma, Head of News at RT India, features prominently in the launch campaign.
Why RT Is Expanding Into Hindi
The move represents the next stage of RT’s India strategy. RT began its dedicated India operation in December 2025, when Putin and RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan participated in the launch of RT India during Putin’s state visit to New Delhi.
Now, the broadcaster is taking its India-focused coverage into Hindi, potentially giving it access to a much larger domestic audience. RT India CEO Ashok Bagriya said the Hindi operation was a “natural next step” and highlighted the size of India’s Hindi-speaking population. The organisation has also expanded its India team, with around 50 professionals reportedly joining the operation.
The broadcaster has indicated that further expansion into other Indian regional languages could also be possible.
RT Hindi: A New Media Bridge?
The Russian Embassy in New Delhi has welcomed the launch. Russian Deputy Ambassador Roman Babushkin said the Hindi platform would allow Indian audiences to access information about Russia and international affairs in their own language. He also criticised what Moscow describes as Western censorship and negative coverage of Russia.
That framing is likely to make RT Hindi a closely watched development in India’s increasingly competitive digital news market.
RT describes its approach as offering perspectives that are different from mainstream Western narratives. Critics, however, have long described RT as a Russian state-controlled media organisation and have questioned its editorial independence.
ALSO READ: India Steps Into Russia-Ukraine Peace Push: Jaishankar Arrives in Kyiv as Modi Talks to Putin
Timing Ahead of BRICS Summit
The timing of the launch is particularly notable. With BRICS leaders gathering in New Delhi this month, India-Russia relations are expected to receive significant attention. Putin’s anticipated visit could further increase interest in Russian foreign policy, India-Russia trade, energy ties and the Ukraine conflict.
For RT, having a Hindi-language platform operational during one of the biggest diplomatic events on India’s calendar gives the broadcaster an opportunity to reach audiences directly in their preferred language.
The launch therefore isn’t simply an expansion in language. It is also another sign of how India has become an increasingly important media and geopolitical market for Russia.
