Putin to visit India in December after India-US trade standoff

By Anjali Sharma

WASHINGTON – Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit India in December, as per media reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit India in December, a Kremlin aide confirmed as New Delhi and Moscow strengthen ties after US tariff pressures over India’s purchase of Russian oil.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Putin will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in China on Monday, where they are expected to discuss preparations for the December visit.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had also confirmed Putin’s upcoming visit, though dates were then undecided. “We share a long and special relationship, and we value this partnership,” he said.

The announcement came after US President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports, cited New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil as the trigger for the punitive step.