NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin lands in India on Thursday for his first go to in 4 years, kicking off the journey with a personal dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The go to, happening amid a quickly evolving international order and ongoing Russia-Ukraine battle, is anticipated to place financial cooperation on the centre of talks.
Non-public dinner diplomacy
Putin’s arrival on Thursday night might be adopted by an intimate dinner with PM Modi. The leaders are anticipated to assessment the total spectrum of the particular and privileged strategic partnership: defence ties, power safety, commerce growth and cooperation in rising sectors. They can even alternate views on key international and regional points, together with developments in Eurasia and the Indo-Pacific.
Rajghat tribute , ceremonial welcome & summit
The Russian president’s key engagements are scheduled for Friday. He begins the day with a go to to Rajghat, paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi — a customary cease for visiting heads of state. This might be adopted by a proper welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan, setting the stage for the principle summit-level talks at Hyderabad Home. The 2 leaders will meet for wide-ranging discussions geared toward strengthening financial integration, enhancing commerce routes, and advancing cooperation in expertise, area, logistics and innovation. After a working lunch with PM Modi, Putin will tackle the India-Russia Enterprise Discussion board, the place each side hope to energise private-sector partnerships and entice new investments. Within the night, Putin will return to Rashtrapati Bhavan the place President Droupadi Murmu will host a state banquet in his honour. He’s anticipated to depart round 9.30pm.
Commerce & big-ticket agreements in focus
Putin’s aide confirmed {that a} joint assertion is deliberate, together with the signing of a number of bilateral paperwork spanning a number of sectors. Amongst them is the Programme for the Improvement of Strategic Areas of Russian-Indian Financial Cooperation till 2030 — seen as a roadmap to spice up long-term commerce and industrial collaboration. Ushakov highlighted that the 2 sides will delve deeply into commerce dynamics. Bilateral commerce touched $63.6 billion in 2024, marking a 12% improve — pushed largely by power, fertilisers, and equipment. “Now we have many large-scale promising tasks in numerous areas,” he stated, itemizing industrial cooperation, revolutionary applied sciences, peaceable area exploration, transport, mining, healthcare, and labour migration programmes among the many priorities. Putin can even take part within the launch occasion for RT TV’s India operations, signalling Moscow’s intent to broaden media and cultural outreach as a part of its soft-power technique. PM Modi and Putin have spoken by telephone 5 occasions in 2024, and final held an in-person assembly on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin. Regardless of international geopolitical upheavals, the India-Russia relationship continues to adapt, balancing legacy defence ties with new-age cooperation in expertise, power transition, schooling and workforce mobility.