Moscow, Dec. 3 – President Vladimir Putin is set to kick off his trip to India Thursday, starting with a relaxed meeting at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home, said Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov on Wednesday. Ushakov described the private dinner between the two leaders as “one of the key points of the Russian leader’s visit.” He added that Putin will discuss important bilateral matters and global affairs with Modi.
Ushakov also mentioned that the two leaders will meet in both a round‑table and a more expansive forum. The talks will cover trade and economic cooperation, with several new agreements expected to be signed during the visit, according to TASS. India and Russia plan to ink a programme that will guide strategic economic collaboration through 2030.
After the discussions, Modi and Putin will issue a joint statement to the press. During the 23rd India‑Russia Annual Summit, Putin will drop a wreath at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial on Friday. The visit is long‑anticipated, occurring amid deepening ties between New Delhi and Moscow, especially after the United States imposed punitive tariffs on India for discounted Russian oil imports earlier this year.
Once Putin arrives in New Delhi, India and Russia will issue a joint statement outlining cooperation plans spanning economics, finance, security, politics and other sectors, said TASS. Later on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the visit will deliver “significant outcomes” in strategy, defence, energy and trade.
Peskov, during an online briefing organised by Sputnik News at the India Habitat Centre, said the visit would strengthen a relationship built on “mutual understanding, partnership and a shared vision of global affairs based on the rule of law.” He highlighted the long‑standing partnership, noting that Moscow has stood “shoulder to shoulder” with India during critical phases of its development.
While strategic and defence cooperation remain “sensitive areas,” Peskov affirmed Russia’s willingness to share expertise in emerging technologies. Energy and nuclear collaboration are expected to be major topics, as Putin and Modi exchange views.
Peskov said Russia keeps supplying energy to India at competitive prices, describing it as a “mutual benefit.” On the nuclear front, he confirmed ongoing cooperation and future projects, adding that Russian aid has helped build “a separate sectoral ecosystem” within India’s nuclear industry.
Trade is likely to dominate the agenda. Russia‑India bilateral trade reached USD 63 billion, with a goal of surpassing USD 100 billion before 2030. Peskov warned that some actors have tried to hinder the trade relationship, indirectly targeting the United States. To correct the current imbalance, Russia intends to boost imports from India.
In a statement dated Nov. 28, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “The forthcoming State Visit will give India and Russia’s leaders an opportunity to review progress in bilateral relations, set a vision for strengthening the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’, and share views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.”
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