Boosting Trade, Defence Ties to be Major Focus of Putin's 2-Day Visit to India Next Week

Russian President Vladimir Putin will make a two-day visit to India from December 4 to hold annual summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that is expected to produce a plethora of significant outcomes, including in the trade and defence spheres to further solidify the bilateral strategic ties.

The Russian president's trip to India is taking place at a time India-US relations are going through possibly the worst phase in the last two decades after Washington imposed a whopping 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, including 25 per cent levies for New Delhi's procurement of Russian crude oil.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), announcing the visit, said on Friday that it will set the vision for strengthening the India-Russia 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership'.

The Kremlin said both sides are expected to adopt a joint statement and sign a "wide range of interdepartmental and business agreements" following the talks between the leaders.

It is learnt that ways to bolster two-way trade using local currencies, taking forward bilateral energy cooperation notwithstanding Western sanctions against Russia, further enhancing defence ties and the Ukraine conflict are likely to dominate the talks.

New Delhi is expected to press for addressing the increasing trade deficit caused by India's procurement of large volumes of Russian crude oil. The two sides are also likely to focus on deepening cooperation in areas of civil nuclear energy.

"At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin will pay a State visit to India from December 4 to 5 for the 23rd India-Russia annual summit," the MEA said.

"The forthcoming State visit will provide an opportunity for the leadership of India and Russia to review progress in bilateral relations, set the vision for strengthening the 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership' and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest," the MEA said in a brief statement.

President Droupadi Murmu will also receive Putin and host a banquet in his honour.

People familiar with Putin's trip to New Delhi said India is also looking at procuring additional batches of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems from Russia as the weapons proved to be very effective during the Operation Sindoor.

In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding a warning by the US that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions under the provisions of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

Three squadrons have already been delivered and the remaining two are expected to be sent by middle of next year.

There is also a possibility that India may hold talks with the Russian side on the possibility of buying at least two squadrons of the Su-57 fighter jets though New Delhi has not made any final decision on the procurement.

In the energy sector, it is learnt that Russia has offered India additional discounts for its procurement of crude oil.

The offer came after the volume of India's purchase of Russian crude oil registered a decline in the last few weeks following the latest wave of US sanctions on two Russian oil producers.

However, the people cited above said the Modi-Putin summit will produce significant outcomes .

The Kremlin said Putin's visit to India carries "significant importance" as it offers an opportunity to review the entire spectrum of the special and privileged strategic partnership -- from politics, trade and the economy to science, technology, and cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

"The current international and regional issues will also feature prominently in the talks with the Indian delegation led by Prime Minister Modi," it said.

Last week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India and Russia are looking at firming up a number of agreements, initiatives and projects to add more substance to the ties during Putin's visit to New Delhi.

"A number of bilateral agreements, initiatives and projects are under discussion in various fields. We look forward to their finalization in the coming days," he had said during a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.

"These will certainly add more substance and texture to our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership," he said.

India and Russia have a mechanism under which India's prime minister and the Russian president hold a summit meeting annually to review the entire gamut of ties.

So far 22 annual summit meetings have taken place alternatively in India and Russia.

The Russian president had last visited New Delhi in 2021.

In July last year, Modi travelled to Moscow for the annual summit.

Russia has been a time-tested partner for India and the country has been a key pillar of New Delhi's foreign policy.