Putin in India LIVE UDPATES: Modi–Putin hold three meetings in 24 hours, reaffirm close ties; no defence deal finalised
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the launch of RT India marks a very important milestone. “This is a special moment, as it will allow millions of Indian citizens to understand our country and its news more closely,” he stated.
Putin added that the channel aims to provide its viewers with truthful information about events in Russia and around the world. “This is the real value of Russia Today,” he said, emphasising that it stands apart from what he described as the propaganda machinery of several Western media outlets.
Putin has invited Prime Minister Modi to attend the India–Russia Summit scheduled to be held in Moscow next year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has officially launched RT India. The channel aims to deliver Russia’s perspectives and news directly to audiences in India and around the world.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met three times within 24 hours during Putin’s India visit. Their engagements included a private dinner, bilateral talks, a joint press conference and an address at the India–Russia Business Forum.
No major defence deal was announced during the visit, despite earlier speculation about possible agreements on fighter jets or major military platforms. India and Russia signed 19 agreements and MoUs aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and cooperation. Key areas of collaboration include: Shipbuilding, training Indian seafarers to operate in icy (polar) waters, investment in new shipping lanes, civil nuclear energy cooperation and critical minerals.
PM Modi described Russia as one of India’s closest partners, comparing the India–Russia friendship to the steady and unwavering Pole Star.
President Putin said his delegation did not come to India only to discuss oil and gas, but to expand cooperation across multiple sectors and strengthen overall ties.
Chinese media reported that Putin’s visit to India is taking place at a time when tensions between Delhi and Washington are rising. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressured India to stop buying oil from Russia.
According to China’s state news agency Xinhua, external experts say that due to its energy needs, it will be difficult for India to break its cooperation with Russia.
The Global Times quoted Li Haidong from China’s Foreign Affairs University as saying that sanctions and pressure from the US and Western countries are unlikely to succeed against Russia and India.
Lin Minwang, a South Asia expert at Fudan University, said Russia has long acted as a “strategic safety net” in India’s foreign policy. However, given how rapidly global circumstances are changing, it is unclear how far India will want to take its relationship with Russia in the future.
The first office of the Russian Education Agency has been opened in Delhi. The agency is a joint project of Synergy Corporation and Innopraktika India. Its aim is to create more opportunities for Indian students to pursue higher education in Russia.
Natalia Popova, First Deputy CEO of Innopraktika, said that more Indian students will now be drawn toward Russian education. She noted that many students from India have previously studied in Russia and built successful careers.
According to Natalia Popova, Indian students studying in Russia can, in the future, act as a bridge between the innovation and technology industries of both countries and help connect high-tech companies on both sides.
#WATCH | Delhi | Russian Education Agency, a joint project between Synergy Corporation and Innopraktika.India, opens its branch in New Delhi.
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2025
Natalia Popova, First Deputy CEO of Innopraktika says, "More students will be interested in Russian education. We have a long history of… pic.twitter.com/9b4vlLC9Uu
Energy Cooperation:
Russia assured India of continuous and uninterrupted fuel supply to support India’s growing economy.
Industrial Partnership
Indian companies signed an agreement with Russia’s URALCHEM to set up a urea production plant within Russia.
Food Safety
India’s FSSAI and Russia’s consumer protection agency signed formal agreements to strengthen food safety regulations.
Healthcare Cooperation
Multiple MoUs were signed to enhance collaboration in medical research and health services.
Maritime Logistics
An MoU was signed to boost India–Russia cooperation in port operations and shipping logistics.
Migration and Mobility
Both countries agreed to simplify migration procedures and ease the movement of people between the two nations.
Manpower Mobility System
Healthcare and Medical Education
Food Safety and Standards
Shipbuilding Cooperation
Maritime Security and Surveillance
Agriculture and Fertilisers
Nuclear Energy Cooperation
#WATCH | Delhi: At the India-Russia Business Forum, PM Narendra Modi says, "It was a very important initiative by President Putin to bring such a large delegation to this event today. I heartily welcome all of you. It is a great pleasure for me to be among you all, to join this… pic.twitter.com/f1pLhV7SiB
— ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2025
Prime Minister Modi
1. Cooperation in shipbuilding under ‘Make in India’.
2. Working on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Eurasian Economic Union.
3. India to offer a 30-day free e-tourist visa and a 30-day group tourist visa for Russian citizens.
4. New Indian trade offices (consulates) have been opened in Russia.
Russian President Putin
5. Fuel supply to India will continue without any interruption.
6. India–Russia trade has grown by 12% in one year.
7. Bilateral trade between India and Russia has reached $60 billion; target set for $100 billion.
8. Russia and India will jointly build the largest nuclear power plant in India.
9. New international transport routes are being developed; goods from Belarus will reach the Indian Ocean directly.
10. The Russia Today (RT) channel will be launched in India.
So far, no major deal related to fighter jets or large defense contracts has been announced between India and Russia, although such an announcement was expected.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have concluded their press conference in Delhi.
At the beginning, both leaders signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in areas like trade and agriculture.
MoUs are not legally binding; rather, they are initial documents that set the direction for larger, formal agreements in the future.
During the press conference, both leaders did not take questions from the media, but they conveyed these points in their statements.
Putin stated that for nearly the past fifty years, Russia has been helping the Indian military by supplying weapons and assisting in its modernisation, whether it is air defense forces, aviation or the navy. Overall, he said, they are completely satisfied with the results of the discussions that have just concluded.
He expressed full confidence that this visit and the agreements made here will further deepen the India-Russia strategic partnership, benefiting both countries and the people of India and Russia.
The Russian President said bilateral trade between India and Russia increased by 12% last year, setting a new record. He noted that the figures might vary slightly across different sources, but on average, the trade volume is around 64 billion US dollars.
Putin added that they expect trade to remain equally strong this year. He also said that both countries are ready to take this trade up to 100 billion dollars. About 76% of India’s imports from Russia consist of oil. If other oil and coal are included, this rises to around 85%.
Exports from India to Russia
Pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, textiles, tea, coffee, rice, spices, and more
Russian President Putin said that Russia and India are jointly building the largest nuclear power plant in India — the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu. This is not just India’s project but one of the largest nuclear projects in Asia. The plant will have a total of six reactors, each generating 1,000 MW of electricity. This means that once the entire project is completed, it will produce 6,000 MW (6 GW) of power. Putin added that three of the six reactors are already connected to India’s energy network. The remaining three reactors (Units 4, 5, and 6) are at different stages of construction.
Putin said, “The Prime Minister gave us a list of challenges that both governments should focus on, and we will work on them. He added that if a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is established between India and the Eurasian Economic Union, it will benefit both sides.”
He further said, “Both countries are gradually moving towards trade in their national currencies, and currently 96% of transactions are being conducted this way. Our partnership in the energy sector is very successful. The supply of everything related to India’s energy needs—oil, gas, coal—is stable.”
PM Modi said, “In October this year, millions of devotees received the blessings of Lord Buddha’s sacred relics at the International Buddhist Forum. I am happy to announce that we will soon launch a 30-day free e-tourist visa and a 30-day group tourist visa for Russian citizens.”
Putin said, “My conversation with Prime Minister Modi over dinner was very helpful for our special and privileged strategic partnership. PM Modi and I have developed a close working dialogue. We met during the SCO Summit, and we ourselves are overseeing the Russia–India dialogue.”
“India and Russia have long stood shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism. Whether it is the terrorist attack in Pahalgam or the cowardly attack at Crocus City Hall, all such incidents have the same root cause," said PM Modi.
He added, “India firmly believes that terrorism is a direct attack on the values of humanity, and global unity against it is our greatest strength. India and Russia maintain close cooperation at the UN, G20, BRICS, SCO, and other platforms. We will continue our dialogue and cooperation on all these forums.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the energy security partnership has been a strong and important pillar of India–Russia relations. He added that India’s decades-old cooperation with Russia in civil nuclear energy has played a major role in achieving their shared clean-energy goals. “We will continue this ‘win-win’ cooperation,” he said.
He further stated, “Our cooperation in critical minerals is extremely important for creating safe and diversified supply chains around the world. It will strongly support our partnership in clean energy, high-tech manufacturing, and next-generation industries.”
Modi also said that India and Russia’s deep cooperation in shipbuilding has the potential to further strengthen the ‘Make in India’ initiative. “This will boost jobs, skills, and regional connectivity,” he added.
Modi said Putin laid the foundation of the partnership 25 years ago. During this period, humanity faced many crises, yet the India–Russia friendship remained steady like the Pole Star. Over the past 25 years, Putin’s leadership has strengthened the relationship between the two nations.
Prime Minister Modi said Putin’s visit is taking place at a time when bilateral relations between the two countries are crossing several historic milestones. He added that it was during Putin’s presidency in 2000 that the strategic partnership between India and Russia began.
Reports say that India and Russia have reached agreements in key areas, including health, shipbuilding, the fertiliser sector, as well as matters related to taxes and tariffs.
President Droupadi Murmu accorded a ceremonial welcome to H.E. Mr Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, at Rashtrapati Bhavan. pic.twitter.com/G9mURup2do
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 5, 2025
Putin thanked Prime Minister Modi for focusing on the Ukraine peace initiative. The Russian President told PM Modi, “The relations between our two countries are very old and deep. These are not just words; there is a very strong and genuine foundation behind them. The India–Russia friendship is not just in name; we are reliable partners for each other.”
The PM said the world has faced many crises, from COVID-19 till now. He expressed hope that global challenges will be overcome soon. PM Modi said, “I am confident that today we will discuss several important global issues.”
PM Modi described President Putin’s visit as historic. He said this India–Russia summit has produced several major outcomes. PM Modi added that Putin first visited India in 2000, and it was during that visit that a strong foundation for the strategic partnership between the two countries was laid.
Prime Minister Modi said he has known Putin for the past 25 years. He said the India–Russia friendship is an example of how a visionary leader can transform relationships.
Praising Putin, PM Modi added that Putin’s vision and leadership have made India–Russia relations stronger and more trustworthy.
Prime Minister Modi said regarding the Ukraine war that India is not neutral. India stands for peace. India supports all efforts towards peace.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have commenced their bilateral discussions at Hyderabad House, focusing on strategic partnership, economic cooperation, and global peace efforts
PTC Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday described India–Russia relations as “steady like the Pole Star”, reaffirming the long-standing strategic partnership between the two nations during bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi.
PM Modi said despite global upheavals over the past eight decades, from conflicts to humanitarian crises, the friendship between India and Russia has remained “firm, consistent, and resilient”. He emphasised that the two countries have withstood every test and continue to deepen cooperation across sectors.
PM Modi highlighted that India and Russia have already charted a roadmap for economic collaboration until 2030, underscoring the importance of sustained engagement in trade, energy, defence, and emerging technologies.
During his remarks, the Prime Minister stressed that India is not “neutral” but firmly “on the side of peace”. He reiterated that the world once again needs stability and dialogue, and India supports every global effort aimed at achieving peace.
Earlier in the day, President Putin received a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, where he was honoured with a 21-gun salute and a Guard of Honour. He later visited Rajghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi before beginning formal discussions at Hyderabad House.
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- With inputs from agencies
