Russian President Putin's two-day India visit begins today: Defence, trade, media on agenda
PTC News Desk: Russian President Vladimir Putin will land in Delhi on Thursday evening for a two-day state visit to India, during which the two countries are expected to finalise several agreements. The visit comes at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is Putin’s first trip to India since the start of the Ukraine conflict.
This is Putin’s first visit to India since 2021 and holds significant importance as it aligns with the 25th anniversary of the India–Russia strategic partnership and the 23rd annual summit between the two nations. Upon arrival, Putin will attend a private dinner hosted by PM Modi at his official residence. On Friday, he will receive a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan with a tri-service Guard of Honour, followed by a tribute at Rajghat. He will then engage in formal talks with PM Modi at Hyderabad House. Key announcements and the signing of agreements are likely after their discussions, along with a joint statement to the media.
Putin will be accompanied by several senior ministers, including 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, as well as Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina.
REGULAR, HIGH-LEVEL ENGAGEMENT
According to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, discussions between Putin and PM Modi will be “regular and confidential.” The leaders last met on September 1 in Tianjin, China, during the SCO Summit, and have spoken by phone five times this year.
In preparation for the visit, Putin met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and held two meetings with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Moscow.
The trip also marks 15 years since the 2009 Joint Statement that elevated ties to a “special and privileged strategic partnership.” The summit is expected to review cooperation in areas such as security, economy, finance, transport, technology, education and culture.
ECONOMIC PRIORITY: TRADE GAP & 2030 VISION
Ushakov stated that the leaders will discuss the growing trade and economic relationship, with bilateral trade rising 12% this year to USD 63.6 billion. Russia has offered solutions to address India’s concerns about the growing trade deficit and proposed mechanisms to safeguard trade from external geopolitical pressures.
A key outcome of the summit is likely to be the adoption of the Programme for the Development of Strategic Areas of Russian-Indian Economic Cooperation until 2030, along with agreements across sectors including energy, trade, agriculture, health and media.
At the Intergovernmental Commission meeting in Moscow in August, officials reviewed ongoing major projects in industrial cooperation, advanced technologies, mining, transportation, space, healthcare and workforce mobility.
- With inputs from agencies
