New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in New Delhi on Thursday, beginning a high-profile two-day state visit aimed at reinforcing the long-standing diplomatic and strategic partnership between India and Russia. This marks his first trip to India since 2021 and his first since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

Putin is set to participate in the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit, where he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will review the trajectory of bilateral ties and chart the next phase of cooperation under the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’. The leaders are also expected to exchange views on pressing regional and global developments.

The visit underscores a relationship that has spanned nearly 25 years. Modi, then the chief minister of Gujarat, first travelled to Moscow in 2001 alongside former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, marking the beginning of his engagement with Russian leadership. The two leaders most recently met in person in September in Tianjin, China, on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, where they held what Modi described as “insightful” discussions.

Modi has consistently called for peace amid the Russia–Ukraine conflict, reiterating to Putin that “this is not an era of war”, with global concerns over food, fertiliser and fuel security looming large.

During the current visit, Russian and Indian delegations will hold extensive discussions covering trade, economic cooperation, scientific collaboration, cultural exchanges and humanitarian partnerships. International and regional issues will also be high on the agenda. According to Russian agency TASS, around ten intergovernmental agreements and more than 15 pacts between commercial and non-commercial organisations are expected to be signed.

After arriving in New Delhi, Putin will be hosted by Modi for a private dinner. On Friday, he will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan, followed by a tri-services guard of honour. He will then proceed to Raj Ghat to pay tribute at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.

Formal talks between the two leaders will take place at Hyderabad House, both in a restricted format and with their full delegations. Several agreements focusing on cooperation in trade, economy, agriculture and academia are expected to be finalised.

The Ministry of External Affairs said the visit provides an important opportunity for both sides to assess ongoing cooperation and outline the future direction of the India–Russia partnership. 

(With inputs from ANI)