Putin to visit India on Dec 4-5, ties in focus

NEW DELHI: President Vladimir Putin will make a state visit to New Delhi during December 4-5 for the annual India-Russia summit, the external affairs ministry announced on Friday, with the trip setting up an opportunity to reinvigorate bilateral ties against the backdrop of US pressure on India to reduce purchases of Russian energy and military hardware.

- Rezaul H Laskar

Putin is set to hold talks on December 5 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Russia last year for the annual summit. This will be his first visit to India since the start of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 ~he last travelled to India in 2021 for the annual meeting - and people familiar with the matter said several big-ticket deals and agreements are expected to be unveiled during the summit.

The visit will be an opportunity for the leadership of India and Russia to “review progress in bilateral relations, set the vision for strengthening the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global issues”, the external affairs ministry said.

Russia’s foreign ministry said the two sides are “expected to adopt a joint statement and sign a wide range of interdepartmental and business agreements” but didn’t give details. Putin's visit carries “significant importance” as the two sides will be able to review their partnership in politics, trade, economy, science, technology, and cultural and humanitarian cooperation, it said.

President Droupadi Murmu will also meet Putin and host a banquet in his honour during the visit, which is expected to last a little more than 24 hours, like most recent foreign trips by the Russian leader.