NEW DELHI: Top Russian foreign policy and strategic affairs experts have opined that a prospective military alliance between Moscow and Beijing would adversely impact traditional partnership with India and is therefore impractical.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had recently speculated that a military alliance between Moscow and China is possible, although both sides "in general" have no need for it.

Signing formal military alliance with China would be impractical for Russia, it will tie Russia’s hands and force other traditional partners of Russia, India in particular, to cooperate closer with the US, according to Carnegie Moscow Centre director Dmitry Trenin.

"Russia has no need to strike a formal military alliance with China against the United States now. Such union would tie hands of both parties, and would scare the neighbours, India in particular, who would be forced to abandon partnership with Russia and cooperate closer with the US," Trenin pointed out, reported Russian official news agency Itar Tass.

Besides, a formal alliance would raise question of hierarchy within the allied structures. According to Trenin a true military alliance of Russia and China would be feasible only in case of the US attack on both countries at the same time.

"It is possible to speculate that, in case of the US’s [military] aggression against Russia, China, while supporting Russia politically, would refrain from taking part in the war. In my opinion, this is exactly how [we] should react to a military clash between the US and China, which seems to become more and more probable," the expert said.

On October 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin speculated that a military alliance between Moscow and China is possible, although both sides "in general" have no need for it.

According to the president, military relations between Russia and China make it possible to regularly hold ground and naval drills and exchange the best technologies and practices in military building.

India and Russia share close defence partnership for decades that have not only been buyer seller relationship but also joint production of state or art missiles - BrahMos; licensed production of fighter aircraft besides supply of nuclear submarines. Russia currently meets 60-70 per cent of India’s defence needs.