Russian President Vladimir Putin has departed from Delhi following a banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan hosted by Indian President Droupadi Murmu. The two-day visit, Putin's first in four years, yielded significant momentum, particularly in energy and defence.
In a major push for India-Russia nuclear energy cooperation, President Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the possibility of building a second nuclear power plant with Russian-designed reactors, with the Indian side reportedly committing to allocating a site for the project, as per reports.
During the visit, Russia formally proposed that India localise the production of the fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jet on its territory, a news agency reported, quoting Sergei Chemezov, CEO of the Russian state corporation Rostec. This proposal follows earlier speculation raised by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov regarding the supply of Su-57s to India.
Heaping praise on initiatives like the ‘Make in India’ programme, President Putin said India is rapidly becoming technologically sovereign. He noted that India is pursuing an independent and sovereign policy under the leadership of PM Modi and achieving "very good results," highlighting the Indian economy as one of the fastest-growing in the world.
Putin and Modi participated in the India-Russia Business Forum on Friday, following their talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. At the forum, PM Modi suggested that the countries explore joint ventures in manufacturing electric vehicles. Modi also confirmed that discussions have begun on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the Eurasian Economic Union.
The two leaders also delivered a joint press conference after their discussions. Putin’s visit was closely watched in the US and Europe, which have recently urged India to scale down Russian energy purchases and pressured Moscow to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Addressing India’s energy security, Putin assured "uninterrupted fuel" supply. He said that Russia is a reliable supplier of oil, gas, coal, and "everything that is required for the development of India's energy." This assurance comes amid growing pressure on New Delhi from the US to reduce oil trade with Russia.
This marks Putin's first visit since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022; he last visited in December 2021 for the annual summit.
In an interview on Thursday, Putin described his relationship with PM Modi as both professional and personal, built on mutual trust and long-term cooperation. Additionally, the two leaders have held five telephone conversations in 2025 and met earlier this year on the sidelines of the SCO Heads of State Council Meeting in Tianjin, China, on September 1.
Also read: India on side of peace: PM on Ukraine conflict
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