A warm welcome and a private dinner awaited Russian President Vladimir Putin upon landing at the Air Force Station Palam on December 4 evening, ahead of the summit on Friday.
At the official residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, Putin had a specially-prepared lavish spread of multi-course meal awaiting him, after which he was presented with a copy of the Gita in Russian by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Presented a copy of the Gita in Russian to President Putin. The teachings of the Gita give inspiration to millions across the world,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
Putin is on a two-day visit to India, his first since the start of the war in Ukraine, currently drawing in world leaders attempting to initiate peace efforts. He last visited India on December 6, 2021, for the annual summit.
On Friday, the Russian President will receive a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan at 11 a.m., followed by a visit to the Rajghat, where he will lay a wreath at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.
This would be followed by the 23rd India-Russia summit at the Hyderabad House, a business event at the Bharat Mandapam, and a banquet dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu.
Putin and PM Modi exchanged warm bonhomie, a reflection of the two countries’ long-standing ties, which was also evident during PM Modi’s visit to Russia in July last year.
Also Read: Russian President Vladimir Putin lands in Delhi on a 2-day visit
While bilateral defence cooperation is on the agenda for both countries during the summit, with New Delhi showing keen interest in procuring more S-400 missile systems from Moscow, the ties have come under considerable strain since US President Donald Trump pressured India to stop buying Russian crude oil, proceeds from which, Trump says, finance Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Having been imposed a steep 50 per cent tariffs on its exports, India has already cut Russian oil imports by 38 per cent in October, 2025, the sharpest fall so far.
As the world watches the Russian President’s India visit closely, it remains to be seen how India will balance its relations with Moscow and Washington.
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