Putin lands in Delhi for key summit; defence deals, oil talks to lead agenda

New Delhi, Dec 4: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Thursday evening for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening the nearly eight-decade-old India–Russia partnership.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting a private dinner for Putin tonight, setting the tone for the 23rd India–Russia annual summit on Friday.

Following Friday’s summit, the two sides are expected to sign several agreements, including in trade-related areas.

Defence ties, ways to cushion bilateral trade from external pressure, and potential cooperation on small modular nuclear reactors are expected to dominate the talks.

Officials said Indian exports are likely to see significant growth in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food products and consumer goods as part of efforts to rebalance bilateral trade.

On Friday morning, Putin will receive a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan before summit discussions begin at Hyderabad House, where Modi will also host a working lunch for the Russian leader and his delegation.

Putin is also scheduled to visit Rajghat earlier in the day, according to people familiar with the programme.

On the defence front, Thursday’s talks between the two countries’ defence ministers laid the groundwork for discussions on India’s planned procurement of additional S-400 missile systems, the hardware that proved highly effective during Operation Sindoor.

Moscow may also float the possibility of supplying Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets, even as India continues evaluating contenders such as the Rafale, F-21, F/A-18 and Eurofighter Typhoon.

Energy cooperation is also expected to feature prominently, with Russia offering additional discounts on crude oil.

After the summit, Putin will launch the new India channel of Russia’s state-run broadcaster, before attending a state banquet hosted in his honour by President Droupadi Murmu. He is expected to depart New Delhi around 9 pm on Friday.

Putin’s nearly 28-hour visit has taken on added significance as it comes amid a rapid downturn in India–US relations.

Two days before landing in India, Putin held five hours of talks with US envoys on efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

Speaking to a private news channel afterward, he described the discussions as “necessary” and “useful”, but also “difficult work,” adding that some proposals put forward were unacceptable to the Kremlin.

His remarks add a layer of diplomatic intrigue to a visit that is already drawing global attention as New Delhi and Moscow navigate shifting strategic currents.

PTI