VOIWORLD
Russian President Vladimir Putin departed New Delhi on Thursday night after a two-day State visit marked by high-level talks, cultural exchanges and a review of strategic cooperation. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was present at the airport to see him off, highlighting the diplomatic warmth surrounding the visit.
Earlier in the evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a state banquet for the visiting leader at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu welcomed Putin and reiterated India’s commitment to strengthening the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Both leaders expressed confidence that bilateral ties will continue to grow across defence, energy, trade, and cultural cooperation.
During the summit, Modi underlined India’s stance on the Ukraine conflict, stating that “India is on the side of peace” and pushing for a lasting resolution through dialogue. He expressed optimism that the bilateral trade target of USD 100 billion for 2030 could be achieved ahead of time. Addressing the India–Russia Business Forum, Modi urged Russian companies to expand manufacturing in India and announced that the civil-nuclear sector will be the next area of collaboration, following the opening of defence and space to private players.
Putin, in his remarks, said Russian businesses are ready to increase imports from India and affirmed Moscow’s support for new commercial initiatives. He welcomed efforts to deepen economic cooperation and stressed the importance of building multi-faceted ties.
During the visit, Modi presented Putin with a curated set of cultural gifts, including Assam tea, a silver tea set from Murshidabad, a handcrafted silver horse, a marble chess set from Agra, Kashmiri saffron, and a Russian translation of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, symbolising India’s outreach through heritage and literature.
The day also featured formal ceremonies, bilateral discussions, and a grand state dinner that included a joint military band performance and a menu blending Indian and Russian flavours. The event concluded with Putin saying the phrase “Go Together, Grow Together” best reflects the India–Russia relationship.
The visit marked the 25th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership between the two nations, reaffirming their long-term cooperation amid shifting global dynamics.
Putin’s India Visit: 10 Key Takeaways
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25 Years of Strategic Partnership: This year marks the 25th anniversary of the India–Russia Strategic Partnership, first established during Vladimir Putin’s maiden State visit to India in October 2000.
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Red-Carpet Welcome for Putin: The 23rd Annual India–Russia Summit took place amid heightened global diplomacy, with Putin receiving a ceremonial welcome, honour guard and 21-gun salute—his first visit to India since the Ukraine war began.
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Economic Cooperation Roadmap Till 2030: India and Russia finalised a comprehensive economic cooperation programme aimed at diversifying trade and targeting $100 billion in bilateral commerce by 2030.
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Boosting Indian Exports to Russia: Bilateral trade reached $68.7 billion in 2024-25, but Indian exports remained low at $4.88 billion. India is seeking to reduce the trade deficit even as its deeper engagement with Moscow draws scrutiny from the US and EU.
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Payments & Currency Systems: Both sides agreed to strengthen bilateral settlement systems using national currencies, while working on interoperability between payment networks, financial messaging systems, and CBDC platforms to ensure uninterrupted trade.
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$1.2 Billion Urea Plant Investment: Indian PSUs RCF, IPL and NFL signed an MoU with Russia’s Uralchem to build a greenfield urea plant with 2 million tonnes annual capacity, expected to be operational by mid-2028—bolstering India’s fertilizer security.
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Nuclear Energy Expansion: Talks progressed on establishing a second nuclear power plant with Russian-designed reactors, with India agreeing to earmark a site. Discussions on six additional 1.2-GW reactors—stalled since 2016—are being revived.
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Energy & Oil Supplies Guaranteed: Putin assured “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India despite U.S. pressure. Russia supplied 36% of India’s crude oil in 2024, making it India’s largest oil supplier.
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Defence & Critical Minerals Cooperation: India and Russia committed to scaling joint defence production, missile development and advanced manufacturing, while exploring deeper collaboration in critical minerals, rare earths, and recycling technologies.
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Connectivity Corridors & New Trade Zones: Both nations will accelerate work on strategic routes, including the INSTC, Chennai–Vladivostok Maritime Corridor, and the Northern Sea Route, while expanding trade and investments in Russia’s Far East and Arctic regions under the 2024–2029 cooperation programme.
