Vladimir Putin is visiting India on an invitation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and it is the first since the Russian leader launched his war against Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will arrive in Delhi on Thursday evening, marking the beginning of a two-day state visit to India during which the two nations are expected to sign multiple agreements. Putin is visiting India on an invitation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and it is the first since the Russian leader launched his war against Ukraine.
The visit, Putin’s first to India since 2021, is a historic one, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the India–Russia strategic partnership and the 23rd bilateral summit between the two nations.
Following his arrival, President Putin will attend a private dinner hosted by PM Modi at his official residence.
On Friday morning, he will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, followed by a tri-service Guard of Honour. The President will then pay his respects at Rajghat before holding formal talks with PM Modi at Hyderabad House.
Major announcements and agreement signings are expected after the talks, followed by a joint media statement.
Putin will be accompanied by Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut, Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev and Transport Minister Roman Nikitin.
In addition, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina will also be part of the visiting contingent.
REGULAR, HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE
Russian presidential aide Uri Ushakov said the bilateral talks between Putin and PM Modi will be “regular and confidential.”
On September 1, the two leaders met in Tianjin, China, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. They have also remained in contact over the phone and have had five telephonic conversations so far this year.
Ahead of the trip to Delhi, President Putin received National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Moscow twice as part of preparatory consultations.
The visit coincides with the 15th anniversary of the 2009 Joint Statement elevating the relationship to a “special and privileged strategic partnership.” Both sides expect the summit to review cooperation in security, economy, finance, transport, technology, education and culture.
ECONOMIC FOCUS: TRADE DEFICIT, 2030 ROADMAP
Ushakov said PM Modi and Putin will discuss in detail the expanding trade and economic partnership, with bilateral trade rising 12 per cent in 2024 to USD 63.6 billion. Russia is prepared to address India’s concerns over the widening trade imbalance and has proposed mechanisms to shield bilateral transactions from external pressure.
A major deliverable is expected to be the Programme for the Development of Strategic Areas of Russian-Indian Economic Cooperation until 2030, along with sectoral agreements covering trade, energy, agriculture, health and media.
The August meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission in Moscow reviewed large ongoing projects spanning industrial cooperation, innovative technologies, mining, transport links, space, healthcare and labour mobility.
