Teaching Russian in India: Traditions and Innovations (based on material from sociolinguistic experiment)
DOI: 10.23951/1609-624X-2026-6-112-120
Teaching Russian as a foreign language may be interpreted as one of the “soft power” instruments which realizes its geopolitical potential in the framework of international organizations. Russia and India as BRICS members employ “soft power” assets of teaching Russian as a foreign language for the purpose of promoting cultural values, forming the country’s positive image, strengthening the prominence of the state on the international arena. India’s authentic experience determines the necessity to use the unique methods of teaching Russian as a foreign language and adapt them to the language and cultural context. The aim and objectives of the paper are to explore the traditions and innovations characteristic of the Russian as a foreign language methods implemented in the Indian higher educational establishments using the results of the sociolinguistic experiment. Material and methods include educational programs and course outlines which guide teaching Russian as a foreign language in India. The results of the sociolinguistic experiment which was carried out at Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2025 also form the research base. The didactic, cultural, and sociolinguistic methods are employed. National Education Policy 2020 spurred the changes in the educational system and language teaching. The teachers of Russian as a foreign language stick to the Soviet methods and the figure of a tutor dominates in the educational process. The participants of the sociolinguistic experiment proved this approach to teaching and studying Russian when the institutional methods according to the course outline under the teacher’s guidance are preferred. The results of the study show that adherence to the Soviet methods of teaching Russian as a foreign language is preserved in India. The grammar-translation methods is widely spread though the teachers of Russian aspire to integrate innovative and communicative methods into the educational process. The teacher’s professional qualities also influence the knowledge of the students. The India-Russia relations provide the opportunity to advance the skills of the specialists in the Russian language.
Keywords: Russia, India, BRICS, Russian as a foreign language, ethno-oriented teaching, sociolinguistic experiment
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Issue: 6, 2026
Series of issue: Issue 6
Rubric: METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF MODERN PHILOLOGY
Pages: 112 — 120
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