Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in New Delhi for a two-day state visit — his first since the full-scale war in Ukraine began — as both India and Russia push to deepen strategic, energy and defence cooperation.
The visit was kicked off with a warm reception at the airport by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, complete with high-level protocol and diplomatic goodwill.Over the next 48 hours, the two leaders will hold summit-level talks, aiming to sign a raft of agreements covering oil and energy supply, defence cooperation, high-technology collaboration, and trade expansion — especially in arms, aviation and space sectors.
One key focus is restoring and expanding energy and arms trade, an area hit hard by Western sanctions on Moscow. According to Reuters, Russia is banking on India to continue buying discounted Russian oil — while India seeks to balance its strategic autonomy amid global pressure.
Beyond commerce and defence, this visit underscores India’s diplomatic balancing act: maintaining strong ties with Russia, while managing growing strategic and economic engagement with the West. The summit outcome could reshape geopolitical alignments, influence regional energy markets, and set the tone for India-Russia relations for years to come.
