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.

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