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Putin India Visit LIVE Updates: Russian President Vladimir Putin will reach India for a highly anticipated visit on Thursday afternoon — holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modiand attending the India-Russia summit. The two countries are slated to ink several agreements to enhance cooperation in an array of areas, including trade and healthcare, during the President’s visit.
New Delhi has found itself walking a diplomatic tightrope amidst the Ukraine war as it strove to maintain ties with Moscow and also assuage Western concerns. The upcoming visit is likely to be closely watched by the US and various European nations, and comes amid hectic efforts to broker a peace deal with Kyiv.
Recent pressure from the US, including the imposition of a 50% tariff against Indian imports, is likely to loom large as Putin and Modi sit down for talks. Boosting defence ties, insulating bilateral trade from external pressure and exploring cooperation in small modular reactors are likely to be the key focus areas of their discussions on Friday.
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Putin’s India Visit: Full Itinerary
Thursday will be somewhat quiet with Putin reaching New Delhi around 4:30 pm. His only scheduled engagement for the evening will be a private dinner with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The gesture is also a reciprocation of similar arrangements extended to the Indian leader during his visit to Moscow in July 2024.
Putin will be accorded a ceremonial welcome on Friday morning and reportedly visit Rajghat in the morning. Most of his day will be spent leading the India-Russia summit at Hyderabad House. Modi will also host a working lunch for the Russian leader and his delegation at the venue. He will also launch the new India channel of the Russian state-run broadcaster after the Summit and participate in the Russia-India Business Forum. The Kremlin chief will attend a state banquet hosted in his honour by President Droupadi Murmu before departing around 9:30 pm on Friday.
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What’s on the agenda?
The Ministry of External Affairs recently indicated that the two leaders would review the bilateral relationship, set future goals and discuss key global issues during their meeting. The Kremlin has also issued a similar statement — adding that the India-Russia 2030 strategic economic roadmap would be signed during the visit. The talks are also likely to feature ways to address the bilateral trade “imbalance” between the two countries .
“It is important as it provides the opportunity to comprehensively discuss the entire extensive agenda of Russian-Indian ties. It is meant to sign and adopt the whole range of bilateral documents in the various spheres in conclusion of the visit, including the Development Programme of strategic areas of Russian-Indian economic cooperation by 2030,” Russian state media outlet TASS quoted Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov as saying on Wednesday. Modi and Putin are also expected to discuss defence and energy cooperation as India hopes to hasten delivery of S-400 air defence systems. India will also raise delays in other projects — including the Sukhoi upgrade — and discuss possible interest in Russian Su-57 fighter jets .
The Ukraine war and tangentially the supply of Russian oil to India are also likely to be major topics under discussion. Moscow has incidentally offered extra discounts to New Delhi after it reduced purchases amid US pushback. Overall trade is also likely to be in focus, with both countries expected to discuss an increase of Indian exports to Russia — especially for pharmaceuticals, machinery, and agriculture. The summit will also cover civil aviation, critical minerals, investment projects, and labour movement.
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