Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India later this year, with final dates currently being worked out. The confirmation came from National Security Adviser Ajit Doval during his official visit to Moscow, where he met with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu.
Doval said New Delhi is “excited and delighted” about the upcoming visit, describing past India-Russia summits as “watershed moments” in bilateral relations. He reaffirmed the strength of the long-standing strategic partnership, stating, “You have very rightly mentioned that we have a very special relationship, a long relationship, and we highly value our strategic partnership. These high-level engagements have contributed very substantially.”
Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met twice last year—first during the 22nd India-Russia Summit in Moscow in July, where Modi was awarded Russia’s highest civilian honour, the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle. Their second meeting took place in Kazan in October on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.
According to a joint statement released after their July meeting, both leaders acknowledged the broad scope of their cooperation, which spans defense, nuclear energy, trade, space, education, and culture. They also welcomed efforts to explore new areas of collaboration while reinforcing traditional ones.
Putin’s visit comes amid rising tensions between India and the United States, following President Donald Trump’s decision to impose an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian imports. The move is reportedly a response to India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil, which the US says undermines its efforts to pressure Moscow to end the war in Ukraine. Trump has also threatened secondary sanctions on buyers of Russian oil unless a ceasefire is agreed upon by Friday.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin confirmed that a potential meeting between Putin and Trump is in the works and could happen within days, adding another layer of geopolitical complexity.
With Putin’s visit on the horizon and Washington’s pressure mounting, India’s balancing act between strategic partnerships with Russia and the United States will likely come into sharper focus in the coming months.
