Moscow [Russia], December 4 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin has left Russia for a two-day state visit to India, TASS reported.
The Russian delegation will hold wide-ranging talks on cooperation in trade and the economy, science and technology, and cultural and humanitarian ties, with current international and regional issues also on the agenda. Ten intergovernmental documents and more than 15 agreements and memorandums between commercial and non-commercial entities of the two countries are being prepared for signing during the visit, TASS said.
Putin is due to arrive in New Delhi this evening for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. This is his first visit since the Ukraine conflict began in 2022; his last trip to India was in December 2021. The two-day visit is at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will host a private dinner for Putin after his arrival.
On December 5, Putin will receive a ceremonial welcome and a tri-services guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan, then visit Raj Ghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi. The leaders will hold talks in a restricted format and with their delegations at Hyderabad House. Several agreements are expected to focus on cooperation in trade, the economy, agriculture and academia.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the visit will allow India and Russia to review bilateral progress, set out a vision for strengthening the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,” and exchange views on regional and global matters of mutual interest. Ahead of the trip, Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister and co-chair of the India-Russia intergovernmental commission, Denis Manturov, said the visit marks a “return to the tradition of annual high-level summits” and called it a major step toward deepening the strategic partnership.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the sale of additional S-400 long-range air-defence systems could be discussed. “Highly on the agenda, and this could be discussed. Our military industry is working pretty well. Russian arms 36% in Indian armed forces and hopefully will continue,” he said. Peskov added Russia hopes to discuss the possibility of India acquiring the Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighter, calling it “the best plane in the world.”
Peskov also highlighted defence cooperation such as the BrahMos missile programme, noting it involves production, purchases and the exchange of high technologies that open a path for future collaboration. He said there was also the possibility of an agreement on nuclear energy during the visit.
The two leaders last met in person on September 1 at the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China. Putin’s trip coincides with the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between India and Russia, established in October 2000; that partnership was elevated to a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” during Putin’s visit in December 2010.
Intensifying trade and economic ties is a priority, with a target to raise bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030. Bilateral trade reached a record $68.7 billion in 2024-25.
Putin’s delegation includes ministers and officials such as Defence Minister Andrey Belousov, representatives of the Federal Customs Service, Russia’s financial watchdog Rosfinmonitoring, the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation director Dmitry Shugayev, and the CEOs of Roscosmos, Rosatom and VEB.RF. Business leaders attending include the heads of Rosneft, Sberbank, Basic Element, Rusal, VTB Bank, the Russian Association of Fertilizer Producers, Roskhim and Transmashholding, among others, the Kremlin aide said. (ANI)
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