Moscow (Agencies): Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit India, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Thursday. Preparations for the visit are currently underway.
Lavrov made the revelation during a video address at the Russian International Affairs Council conference titled “Russia and India: Towards a New Bilateral Agenda.” He emphasized the symbolic nature of the visit, recalling that Modi made Russia his first foreign trip after his re-election last year, and now it was Russia’s turn to reciprocate.
The invitation for the next bilateral meeting was extended by Modi during the BRICS summit in Kazan last year. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov had previously confirmed that Putin planned to visit India in 2025. Meanwhile, in January, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that both countries were finalizing a timeline for the visit.
Putin’s last visit to India was in December 2021, before the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. His most recent meeting with Modi took place in July last year, when the Indian leader traveled to Moscow. Modi also visited Russia again in October for the BRICS summit in Kazan, where he highlighted Russia’s role in multilateralism, sustainable development, and global governance reforms.
Putin’s upcoming visit is expected to strengthen India-Russia ties, focusing on areas such as defense, energy cooperation, and strategic partnerships.