India and Russia are finalising dates for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India, which is expected to take place in early December, according to several media reports.
The dates under consideration are December 4 to 6, sources told the Indian Express. The government might as well consider hosting Putin in a city outside of Delhi. Jaipur, Agra and Goa are the possible options, according to the sources.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also expected to visit India before President Putin’s visit, to prepare for the summit and discuss bilateral issues. Lavrov is likely to come to India in November to prepare the groundwork for the Russian President’s visit.
At the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27, Lavrov announced that a visit by the Russian President is planned for New Delhi in December, marking the ongoing diplomatic preparations.
Putin’s first India visit since Russia-Ukraine War
This would be Putin’s first visit to India since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Putin had last visited New Delhi in 2021.
Modi was in Russia last year. Modi and Putin met in Tianjin on September 1 on the sidelines of the SCO leaders’ summit. “We’ve been in constant touch. There have also been many high-level meetings between the two sides regularly. 140 crore Indians are eagerly waiting to welcome you for our 23rd summit in December this year,” Modi had said after the meeting on September 1.
The meeting on September 1 was the two leaders first meeting after the US imposed 25 per cent additional tariffs on India for Russian oil purchase. The bilateral meeting after a shared car ride from the SCO summit in Putin’s vehicle. Modi had posted a photograph of the car ride on X.
On September 17, Modi spoke to Putin, after the Russian leader called him to wish on his 75th birthday.
Why does Putin’s visit to India matters?
Putin’s upcoming visit assumes significance will be significant since US President Donald Trump has taken exception to India’s purchase of Russian oil and levied an additional 25 per cent tariff. Russia criticised the tariff and backed India’s right to choose its trading partners.
Foreign Affairs expert Robinder Sachdev on Wednesday emphasised that Putin’s visit to India would be a very “important” one coming in the wake of the “turmoil” due to the policies of United States President Donald Trump.
“The visit of President Putin to India would be a very important one coming as it does between the world affairs which are right now in turmoil due to policies of President Trump. Apart from that, India and Russia are looking to deepen and widen their relations,” he told ANI.
Sachdev emphasised the need for both India and Russia to “expand people-to-people relations” to strengthen strategic relations between the two countries.
“My submission is that we’ve had a lot of relations on defence and oil government-to-government relations, but India and Russia must do more to widen the people-to-people relations. Unless India and Russia are able to expand the people-to-people relations, our trade and our strategic relations will not go deeper and wider.”