(MENAFN- Live Mint) Putin India Visit: Russian President Vladimir Putin is arriving in New Delhi today on a state visit to India for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.

During the two-day stay in the national capital, President Putin will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

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This is President Putin's first official trip to India since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022. Putin last visited India in December 2021.

Several agreements are expected to be signed, covering areas such as trade, economy, healthcare, academia, culture, and media during the Russian president's visit to India. The broader goal of the visit is to shore up the bilateral strategic and economic partnership between the two nations, against the backdrop of a sharp downturn in India's relations with the US.

Putin is expected to land in New Delhi on Thursday evening. Thereafter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a private dinner for him at his official residence on Lok Kalyan Marg in reciprocation of a similar gesture extended to the Indian prime minister by the Russian leader during his visit to Moscow in July last year.

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 on Friday, Putin will participate in the 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 the Programme 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.

Putin Visits India: The itinerary

-Russian President Putin will land in New Delhi at around 4:30 pm on Thursday, 4 December, according to news agency PTI. A report in News18, however, said that President Putin will arrive in New Delhi at 6.30 pm.

-After landing, he will go to the Prime Minister's residence for a private dinner meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Putin had also hosted Modi for a dinner during the PM's visit to Moscow last year.

Also Read | Putin's visit: A chance for India and Russia to reset an enduring relationship

-Putin's official engagements will be held on Friday, 5 December, beginning the day with a meeting with the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan, likely at around 11 AM.

-From Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Putin will head to Rajghat to pay tribute at the memorial. Then, he will head to Hyderabad House, where most of the diplomatic discussions will take place.

- The annual India-Russia summit talks between PM Modi and Putin will take place on Friday, 5 December at Hyderabad House. PM Modi will also host a working lunch for President Putin and his delegation at Hyderabad House, the venue for the talks.

-After the summit, Putin is set to launch the new India channel of Russian state-run broadcaster RT, following which he will attend a state banquet to be hosted in his honour by President Droupadi Murmu.

-The Russian leader is expected to leave India at around 9:30 pm on Friday, wrapping up his nearly 28-hour visit, according to news agency PTI.

Russian crude oil procurement on the agenda?

In the summit talks, New Delhi is expected to press for addressing the growing trade deficit caused by India's large-scale procurement of Russian crude oil, according to news agency PTI.

The Russian president's trip to India is taking place at a time when India-US relations are possibly going through their worst phase in the last two decades, following Washington's imposition of a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, including a 25 per cent levy on New Delhi's procurement of Russian crude oil.

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The impact of American sanctions on India's procurement of Russian crude oil is likely to be discussed at the summit. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that New Delhi's purchase of crude oil from Russia may decline for a "a brief period" due to Western sanctions, but at the same time, he noted that Moscow is taking steps to enhance its supplies.

At the summit, Putin is expected to apprise Modi about the latest US efforts to bring an end to the Ukraine conflict. India has been consistently maintaining that dialogue and diplomacy are the only ways forward to end the war.

Agreements to be signed?

Following the Modi-Putin talks, the two sides are expected to sign several agreements, including one on facilitating the movement of Indian workers to Russia and another on logistical support under a broader framework of defence cooperation.

It is learnt that under the trade basket, Indian exports to Russia are expected to increase significantly in areas such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food products, and consumer goods, the news agency said.

The move comes amid concerns in New Delhi over a ballooning trade deficit in favour of Russia.

This visit... provides an opportunity to discuss the extensive agenda of Russian-Indian relations comprehensively.

India's annual procurement of goods and services from Russia amounts to around USD 65 billion, while Russia's imports from India stand at around USD 5 billion. Officials said India is also looking at boosting cooperation in the fertiliser sector. Russia supplies three to four million tonnes of fertilisers to India annually.

(With PTI inputs)

Key Takeaways

• Putin's visit signifies the importance of India-Russia relations in a changing global context.
• The summit aims to address trade imbalances and boost cooperation in various sectors.
• Discussions will include strategic agreements on defense, energy, and economic partnerships.

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