The two sleepy-eyed lovers stare languidly into the camera, his head resting easily on her bare shoulders, her cheeks flushed and her blonde hair tousled.
It's not difficult to imagine what happened immediately before the moment was preserved for posterity. But it's what happened afterwards that is raising alarm in the Indian intelligence community, which fears the indiscretion could have cost New Delhi more than US$1.3 billion.
The identity of the woman in the photo isn't known, beyond the fact she is Russian, but the satisfied-looking man lying on top of her is Commodore Sukhjinder Singh of the Indian Navy. At the time, Singh was in charge of the delegation overseeing the refit and purchase of the Russian aircraft carrier the Admiral Gorshkov.
The ship and refit were supposed to cost New Delhi US$974 million, according to the original 2004 deal. By the time the haggling was done costs had blown out this year to US$2.33 billion. The emergence of the compromising pictures of Commodore Singh (who is married, but not to his blonde companion) may explain why, Indian intelligence sources fear.
'Commodore Singh was leading the Indian team assessing the cost of the repairs and upgrades of the vessel. Investigators suspect the honey-trap was used to influence his decision in negotiations on the cost. Caught in the trap he was forced to acquiesce to the deal the Russians wanted - as usually happens in such cases,' said one intelligence official in New Delhi.
'It was in all probability part of a Russian military intelligence operation, which caught Commodore Singh in a compromising position and weakened the Indian Navy's position in the negotiations,' said the official.