Putin will visit India early Dec for summit with Modi confirmed
By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin is likely to visit India in early December for the 23rd India-Russia Summit, sources said.
If confirmed this will be the first visit of Russian President to India since the Russia-Ukraine conflict commenced in February 2022.
There is no official confirmation from the Ministry of External Affairs yet, diplomatic preparations are underway.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to visit India ahead of the summit to lay the groundwork and hold discussions on key bilateral issues, sources said.
Putin’s planned visit to India came against the backdrop of heightened tariff tensions between India and the United States, after Washington imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.
Deputy National Security Advisor Pawan Kapoor was quoted in Russia’s state-owned news agency Tass after the Russian-Indian consultations on regional issues held in Moscow on Tuesday stated “We are currently preparing for President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in December. We meet regularly bilaterally and on the sidelines of international events”.
Modi during a telephonic conversation with Putin on September 17 had reiterated India’s support for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict.
He said he looks forward to welcome the Russian President to India later this year .Putin had also conveyed his greetings to Modi on the Prime Minister’s 75th birthday.
They discussed various issues on the bilateral agenda in the run up to 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.
“The Prime Minister conveyed that he looks forward to welcoming President Putin to India later this year. The Prime Minister reiterated India’s full support for peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict,” the PMO had said in a statement.
Putin’s planned summit came after complex global situations, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The visit will highlight India’s strategic autonomy in maintaining relations with both Russia and Ukraine.
The visit will reinforce the long-standing camaraderie between New Delhi and Moscow, while also opening new avenues for cooperation in emerging sectors.
India’s non-alignment with the International Criminal Court, Putin’s visit to India is feasible without concerns over the ICC arrest warrant.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the UNGA80 had announced that a visit by the Russian President is planned for New Delhi in December, marked the ongoing diplomatic preparations.
On India-Russia relations, Lavrov highlighted the depth of the bilateral agenda, covering trade, military and technical cooperation, finance, humanitarian matters, healthcare, high technology, artificial intelligence, and close coordination at international forums such as the SCO and BRICS.
