KO Special Correspondent
New Delhi ~ Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Thursday for a two-day state visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking his first trip to India since the start of the Ukraine war nearly four years ago.
Modi personally received the Russian leader at the airport, underscoring the significance New Delhi attaches to the high-stakes diplomatic engagement.
Putin is accompanied by a high-level delegation of senior ministers and a large contingent of Russian business leaders. Over the next two days, the two sides are expected to push aggressively to deepen economic cooperation beyond their traditional defence and energy partnership.
The visit comes against the backdrop of India’s careful balancing act on the global stage. New Delhi continues to maintain its decades-old “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” with Moscow even as it strengthens strategic, technological, and commercial ties with the West. The tightrope has become more delicate in recent months, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump accused India of indirectly aiding Russia’s war effort in Ukraine—an allegation that has added fresh diplomatic pressure on India.
The US is also negotiating a trade deal with New Delhi after imposing steep 50% tariffs, half of which targeted India’s continued imports of discounted Russian crude.
However, sources here say Putin and Modi will dive into defence ties, especially the fast-tracking of pending S-400 Triumf air defence system deliveries. Both sides will also talk about shifting gears from just buying equipment to co-producing it, including joint R&D.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasised the strength of the partnership when he met his Russian counterpart earlier in the day, describing Russia as a “time-tested, special, privileged and strategic partner of India.” Singh pointed out that defence cooperation has grown considerably since the 2000 India–Russia Strategic Partnership declaration.
Russia’s newly appointed Defence Minister Andrei Belousov landed in the capital as part of the advance delegation. He was received at Air Force Station Palam by India’s Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan was also present, signalling the strong defence dimension of the visit.
Modi and Putin are scheduled to hold the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi on Friday, December 5. The two leaders will meet for a private dinner on Thursday night ahead of formal talks, which are expected to cover defence cooperation, energy supplies, trade expansion, emerging technologies, and regional security concerns.
Putin’s arrival marks one of India’s most consequential diplomatic moments of the year, taking place as the country navigates intense geopolitical scrutiny while seeking to preserve strategic autonomy. The outcomes of the summit on Friday will be closely watched in capitals across the world.
