Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: As the Russia-Ukraine war marked its 1,000th day on Tuesday, Russia said President Vladimir Putin may visit India “soon” to attend the bilateral meeting between Moscow and New Delhi.
If the dates are confirmed, he will attend the third bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, “Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India soon. We are working on the dates.”
“I hope soon we’ll work out the precise dates of his visit… Of course, after two visits of Prime Minister Modi to Russia, now we have a visit of the President to India, so we’re looking forward to it,” Peskov added, according to the media reports.
PM Modi has already met Putin twice this year. The two leaders held diplomatic talks during the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia and later at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan. During their October meeting, PM Modi formally invited Putin to visit India, further strengthening the diplomatic rapport between the nations.
India and Russia share a long-standing relationship dating back to the Cold War era of the 1950s-60s. Despite global challenges, including the ongoing Ukraine conflict, New Delhi and Moscow have upheld their “special and privileged strategic partnership.”
President Putin’s impending visit to India comes as the two nations continue to collaborate on key areas such as defense, energy, and trade. Under PM Modi’s leadership, ties with Russia have remained robust, balancing historical alliances while navigating new geopolitical realities.
His upcoming trip is being seen as a significant step in reaffirming the partnership between the two nations, offering an opportunity for high-level dialogue on pressing global and regional issues.