Russia confirms ‘arrangements being made’ for Vladimir Putin to visit India – All you need to know

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit India, according to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. TASS reported that the Russian Foreign Minister confirmed on Thursday that “arrangements are currently being made” for Putin to visit Delhi.

In 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Putin twice. The first meeting took place in July during the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit in Moscow. The second occurred from October 22 to 23, when Modi attended the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan and met Putin on the sidelines of the event.

Lavrov confirmed the developments during a video address to the conference titled “Russia and India: Toward a New Bilateral Agenda”, hosted by the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC).

On Wednesday, Sergey Lavrov said Russia is actively strengthening ties with major global powers, including India, with whom Moscow shares a “privileged strategic partnership”.

“We enjoy a particularly privileged strategic partnership with India,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by Russian state media TASS.

Modi-Putin Meet: What Is Expected?

Lavrov reiterated Russia’s commitment to deepening cooperation with its allies across various multilateral platforms, including the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and the Eurasian Economic Union.

President Putin will visit India in 2025 following an invitation from PM Modi.

The meeting is expected to focus on various critical issues, including trade, energy cooperation, defence agreements, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Additionally, discussions may revolve around the settlement of trade in national currencies and the release of Indian nationals from the Russian army.

Putin's India visit will also highlight India's strategic autonomy in maintaining relations with both Russia and Ukraine despite the geopolitical tensions surrounding the conflict.

The visit will likely bolster cooperation across various sectors, including rail manufacturing and the supply of defence systems like the S-400s.

The optics of the visit, including the personal rapport between Modi and Putin, will be closely watched by the international community, especially as global dynamics shift away from the US-led efforts to sideline Russia—much to Europe’s chagrin—against the backdrop of the Ukraine war.

India-Russia Relationship: A look Back

During Indira Gandhi's tenure, India and the Soviet Union deepened ties, particularly with the signing of the Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation in 1971.

This treaty was crucial in securing Soviet support during the Bangladesh Liberation War, making the Soviet Union India's largest trading partner by the early 1980s.

During Rajiv Gandhi's tenure (1984-1989), India-Soviet relations reached a high point, particularly with Mikhail Gorbachev's leadership. Despite initial concerns about Rajiv's pro-West stance, he maintained strong ties with the Soviet Union, focusing on arms sales and cultural exchanges. The Festival of India in the Soviet Union in 1987 was a notable event that underscored their friendship.

Subsequent prime ministers, including PV Narasimha Rao (1991-1996), Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1996, 1998-2004), and Manmohan Singh (2004-2014), continued to nurture the relationship.

Rao ensured open communication with Russia's new leadership, while Vajpayee and Putin signed the Declaration on Strategic Partnership in 2000, elevating bilateral ties.

Manmohan Singh played a crucial role in further strengthening these ties, with Putin acknowledging his contributions to enhancing India-Russia relations.

The relationship continued to flourish despite geopolitical challenges, including the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which India did not harshly criticize due to strategic considerations. An echo of a similar strategy was seen when India refused to sanction Russia over its military operation in Ukraine in 2022.

Over the decades, despite global pressures, such as sanctions under the CAATSA Act, India has continued to purchase defence hardware from Russia, reflecting the resilience of their bilateral ties. The relationship has also been bolstered by mutual support in international forums, including Russia's backing of India's bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.