Russian President Putin to visit India for 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit

NEW DELHI: President of Russia Vladimir Putin will arrive in New Delhi today on a state visit to India for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.

During the two-day visit, President Putin will hold talks with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi tomorrow. Both leaders will exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

A number of agreements are expected to be signed, including in areas related to trade, economy, healthcare, academics, culture and media. 

President Droupadi Murmu will also receive the Russian President and host a banquet in his honour. The 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’.

The Annual Summit between the Prime Minister of India and the President of Russia is the highest institutionalised dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between India and Russia. So far, 22 Annual Summits have taken place alternatively in India and Russia.

Russia has been a longstanding and time-tested partner for India. The development of India-Russia relations has been a key pillar of India’s foreign policy.   

Since the signing of the “Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership” in October 2000, India-Russia ties have acquired a qualitatively new character with enhanced levels of cooperation in almost all areas.

During the visit of the Russian President to India in December 2010, the Strategic Partnership was elevated to the level of “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.”

Intensifying trade and economic relations has been identified as a priority area with a target of increasing bilateral trade to 100 billion dollars by 2030. Bilateral trade between India and Russia reached a record high of 68.7 billion dollars in 2024-25.