Putin to start India visit with pvt dinner hosted by PM Modi
NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin will begin his first visit to India in four years with a private dinner hosted by PM Narendra Modi Thursday. The two will discuss ways to shore up the special and privileged strategic partnership with a focus on economic ties, while exchanging views on key global and regional issues. The PM is expected to reiterate India’s position seeking early end to the Russia-Ukraine war and a return to dialogue and diplomacy. Putin had hosted Modi for a private dinner during the latter’s Russia visit last year for the annual summit.Putin’s main engagements are scheduled for Friday, beginning with a visit to Rajghat, followed by a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The leaders will hold talks at Hyderabad House for the main summit. After lunch with Modi, Putin will participate in India-Russia Business Forum. He will return to Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu will host a banquet in his honour.Putin’s aide Yury Ushakov said a joint statement was expected to be adopted and bilateral documents would be signed across a wide range of areas, including Program for the Development of Strategic Areas of Russian-Indian Economic Cooperation until 2030. Modi last held a bilateral meeting with Putin on the margins of SCO summit this year in Tianjin, and the two have spoken by phone five times in 2024. “This visit… provides an opportunity to discuss the extensive agenda of Russian-Indian relations comprehensively. In addition to the main talks with Narendra Modi, the programme includes a visit to the Russia-India Business Forum and participation in the launch ceremony of the RT TV channel in India,” Ushakov said.He added key aspects of trade and economic cooperation would be discussed. “In 2024, the bilateral trade turnover increased by 12%, up to $63.6 billion. We have many large-scale promising projects in various areas, including industrial cooperation, innovative technologies, transport, peaceful space exploration, mining, healthcare and labour migration progra-mmes,” he said, adding both sides were strengthening cooperation in politics and security, economy and finance, transport and logistics, science and technology, education and culture. Putin is expected to depart around 9.30 pm Friday.
