PM Modi Organise Dinner For Putin Arrive For Key India-Russia Summit:

According to people familiar with the matter, this meeting will take place away from the media spotlight and is expected to help both sides take stock of important bilateral and global developments. Putin is visiting India for a little over 24 hours, marking his first trip to the country since December 2021. The dinner at the Prime Minister’s residence is being seen as a gesture of reciprocity, as President Putin had hosted a private dinner for PM Modi during his visit to Moscow in July last year for the annual India–Russia Summit. Officials say the arrangement reflects the personal rapport between the two leaders and creates an atmosphere for frank discussions on sensitive topics. On Friday, December 5, Putin will begin his official engagements with a ceremonial welcome and a tri-services guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan. From there, he will proceed to Raj Ghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi. The main round of talks will follow at Hyderabad House, where the two leaders will meet first in a restricted format and later with their full delegations as part of the annual summit. Several agreements are expected to be finalised during the summit, covering areas such as trade, the economy, agriculture, and academic cooperation. Both sides see these agreements as necessary steps to strengthen ties at a time when global conditions are rapidly changing. After the talks, Modi and Putin will attend a business event jointly organised by FICCI and Roscongress at Bharat Mandapam. Officials say this event is particularly important as India and Russia are trying to diversify their trade basket. Although two-way trade reached about $68 billion last year—driven mainly by India’s purchase of discounted Russian crude oil—India’s exports to Russia were less than $5 billion. This imbalance is a key concern for New Delhi. Both governments are expected to focus on increasing Indian exports and improving market access for Indian goods in Russia. Sectors like pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, textiles, and machinery are seen as areas where India can expand its footprint. After wrapping up the official meetings, Putin will also launch the Indian channel of Russian state broadcaster RT at an event at ITC Maurya Hotel. Later the same evening, President Droupadi Murmu will host a banquet in his honour before he departs from India. In the days leading up to the visit, there have been new signs of growing cooperation in the defence and security sectors. On Tuesday, the Russian Parliament (Duma) ratified the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) with India. This agreement, signed earlier in Moscow by Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar and former Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, will allow both countries’ armed forces to use each other’s bases and logistics facilities for refuelling, maintenance, port calls, and joint humanitarian operations. Officials say the agreement is similar to India’s LEMOA pact with the United States and is expected to make joint activities smoother and more efficient. Russian officials have also indicated that discussions at the summit will likely include India’s pending defence purchases, such as additional units of the S-400 air defence system, the Su-57 combat aircraft, and cooperation on small modular nuclear reactors. The visit is expected to reinforce the long-standing India-Russia partnership, even as both nations adapt to new global challenges and shifting geopolitical realities.

NEWS