India did not want to take a hostile stand against Russia in the Ukraine war as it involved "practical politics" but New Delhi could have told the Russians where it stood, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said Saturday, noting that finally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a "clear message" with his "not an era of war" remark.Tharoor also predicted a "gradual downgrading" of India's relationship with Russia for practical reasons, pointing out that Moscow is becoming more and more dependent on China."For India, over time, how useful is a friend and partner who is more dependent on your principal adversary. China has killed 20 of our soldiers on the borders just two years ago. We cannot forget that quickly," he said during a session at the Raisina Dialogue here.