New Delhi, Dec 5: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India on Thursday evening for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, receiving a warm welcome from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, setting the stage for two days of high-level talks aimed at strengthening trade, defence ties, and regional security cooperation.
This marks Putin’s first visit to India since the Ukraine war began, highlighting the importance of the India-Russia strategic partnership amid heightened global tensions. The visit underscores Moscow’s reliance on India as a key partner for defence technology and discounted crude oil, while India navigates its historic ties with Russia alongside a growing engagement with Washington.
The summit agenda includes discussions on:
Expanding bilateral trade, with Russian officials aiming for $100 billion by 2030 and potential progress on a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Defence cooperation, including deals on S-400 air-defence systems, Sukhoi-57 fighter jets, and small modular nuclear reactors, reinforcing India’s self-reliance goals in defence manufacturing.
Labour mobility, as both countries explore avenues for Indian workers to support Russia amid wartime shortages.
Broader regional security issues, including the impact of ongoing US-brokered peace efforts in Ukraine.
Modi personally welcomed Putin at the airport, later hosting him for a private dinner. The leaders travelled together in a display of camaraderie, echoing past gestures at the SCO summit in China.
While India continues to import more than a third of its crude from Russia, the summit occurs as New Delhi negotiates a potential trade deal with the US to roll back tariffs imposed over Russian oil imports, reflecting India’s delicate balancing act between strategic autonomy and global expectations.
Accompanied by a high-level Russian delegation, including Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Putin’s visit aims to deepen economic integration, expand defence collaboration, and reinforce decades-long trust between the two nations. India has maintained a neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict, calling for dialogue and diplomacy rather than condemnation, positioning itself as a key diplomatic interlocutor in a polarised world.