Runjhun Sharma takes charge as head of news at RT India

New Delhi: RT has placed Runjhun Sharma at the head of its newly launched India operation, following years of reporting for the network as its Moscow-based South Asia correspondent. Sharma has been closely associated with RT’s coverage in the region, including extensive reporting ahead of and during the Ukraine war. 

Her work has included coverage of President Vladimir Putin’s bilateral and multilateral engagements in Russia, China and other key locations, alongside commentary drawn from her access to high-level events.

During President Putin’s visit to New Delhi, Russia inaugurated RT’s foreign office, featuring a new studio in the national capital and a team of more than 100 staff. The move reflects Moscow’s intent to expand the network’s footprint in India.

Sharma, known for a reporting style shaped by years of covering global summits and for commentary that she has described as grounded in a non-Western journalistic approach, will now lead RT India’s editorial operations. Her role includes overseeing the network’s coverage strategy for its India-focused output.

Marking the launch, President Putin appeared in the studio feed alongside RT International Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan and RT India’s newly appointed Head of News, Runjhun Sharma. 

He said, “Today we are launching Russia Today India, or RT India. Russia Today, first and foremost, strives to communicate to its viewers truthful information about our country and about what’s happening around the globe. It significantly differs from propaganda channels and Western information sources.”

Putin added, “This is an important event because it gives millions of Indians the opportunity to perceive information about our country more closely and clearly, about the developments in our country, about what Russia is thinking and what it is striving for.”