New Delhi- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a private dinner for Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, hours after he lands in Delhi to expand overall bilateral strategic and economic partnership against the backdrop of frosty ties between India and the US.

Boosting defence ties, insulating India-Russia trade from external pressure and exploring cooperation in small modular reactors are set to be the focus of the summit meeting between Modi and Putin on Friday that is expected to be closely watched by Western capitals.

Following the 23rd India-Russia summit, the two sides are expected to seal several agreements, including in areas of trade.

As the Russian leader is visiting India amid renewed American push to end the war in Ukraine, the issue is likely to figure prominently at the summit.

The Russian president is likely to arrive in New Delhi at around 4:30 pm on Thursday, and hours later, Modi will host him for a private dinner 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.

On Friday, Putin will be accorded a ceremonial welcome before the 23rd India-Russia summit. Modi will also host a working lunch for the Russian leader and his delegation at Hyderabad House, the venue for the summit.

Putin will also visit Rajghat in the morning, according to people familiar with the matter.

After the summit, Putin is set to launch the new India channel of Russian state-run broadcaster, 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.

In the summit talks, New Delhi is expected to press for addressing the increasing trade deficit caused by India's procurement of large volumes of Russian crude oil.

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

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 on Tuesday said New Delhi's purchase of crude oil from Russia may decline for“a brief period” in view of Western sanctions, but, at the same time, he said Moscow is taking steps to enhance the 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 is the only way forward to end the war.

Following the Modi-Putin talks, the two sides are expected to ink a plethora of 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 significantly increase in areas of pharma, agriculture, food products and consumer goods.

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

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.

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