Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to New Delhi, marking the Kremlin leader’s first trip to India in four years. The visit began with a warm reception at the airport, where Modi greeted Putin with an embrace before hosting him for a private dinner on Thursday night.
Ahead of their formal engagements, Modi presented Putin with a copy of the Bhagavad Gita translated into Russian, calling its teachings a source of inspiration for millions. “India-Russia friendship is time-tested and has greatly benefitted our people,” the Prime Minister wrote in a post on X, expressing optimism about their conversations over the two-day summit.
Putin was formally received on Friday morning at Rashtrapati Bhavan with a ceremonial guard of honour and a 21-gun salute, signalling the importance New Delhi continues to place on ties with Moscow despite shifting global dynamics.
The longstanding partnership faces new complexities as India balances its engagement with Russia and its growing strategic cooperation with Western nations. Moscow has been India’s largest arms supplier for decades and remains a key energy partner, particularly after Europe cut reliance on Russian fuel over the war in Ukraine. India sharply increased purchases of discounted Russian crude after the conflict began but has since scaled back amid U.S. pressure and tariff disputes linked to those imports.
Even so, both sides are keen to strengthen economic cooperation. Russia wants to expand imports of Indian goods and push bilateral trade to USD 100 billion by 2030. Agreements expected during the summit include a plan involving Uralchem to set up a urea plant in Russia, along with steps to facilitate Russian lenders such as Gazprombank and Alfa Bank entering the Indian market to support trade flows.
During the opening discussions, Modi reiterated that India supports all efforts to restore peace in Ukraine, while maintaining its long-held position of pursuing diplomacy and dialogue rather than public condemnation.
The India-Russia summit concludes later on Friday, with announcements likely on defence and economic cooperation. Both leaders have publicly emphasised the continuity of a relationship rooted in decades of geopolitical trust — even as the world around them continues to change.
