The amateur aviation community really likes to make a huge deal out of these diversions. Forums were full of speculation about the crew or passengers being taken hostage (!), Russia impounding/stealing the aircraft, it being stuck there for months due to sanctions preventing the import of parts, etc.
The reality is quite boring. It should come as no surprise that Air India was not flying over Russia without any idea what they would do if they had to divert to an airport there. As for sanctions, they are mostly concerned with end users, and if Air India flies in their own aircraft with their own parts and engineers, they really present no barrier to getting the aircraft fixed. A lot of tedious paperwork is probably the biggest challenge.
(The logistical challenges if it had required an engine change are certainly real, though.)
The reality is quite boring. It should come as no surprise that Air India was not flying over Russia without any idea what they would do if they had to divert to an airport there. As for sanctions, they are mostly concerned with end users, and if Air India flies in their own aircraft with their own parts and engineers, they really present no barrier to getting the aircraft fixed. A lot of tedious paperwork is probably the biggest challenge.
(The logistical challenges if it had required an engine change are certainly real, though.)