Congress Leaders Excluded from Putin's State Dinner Invitation

The Congress party has raised concerns over the exclusion of its leaders, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, from the state dinner honoring Russian President Vladimir Putin. Shashi Tharoor, however, confirmed his invitation and expressed pride in attending. This dinner, hosted by President Droupadi Murmu, continues a tradition of welcoming heads of state. Putin's visit is significant, being his first to India in four years and closely watched by Western nations amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. The article delves into the implications of these diplomatic interactions and the reactions from Indian political figures.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 5, 2025, 19:01 IST

Congress Claims Exclusion from Putin's Dinner

On Friday, the Congress party asserted that its national president Mallikarjun Kharge and the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, were not invited to the state dinner hosted in honor of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is currently on a two-day visit to India. According to party sources, Shashi Tharoor, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, received an invitation to the dinner. He later confirmed his attendance at the event.

Tharoor expressed that he was unaware of the exclusion of the opposition leader and questioned the criteria for issuing invitations. He stated that he felt honored to be invited. Sources indicate that Tharoor, a former UN Under-Secretary-General with extensive diplomatic experience, was invited due to his long-standing connections with Russian diplomacy.

This evening, President Droupadi Murmu will host a state dinner at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in honor of President Putin, continuing the long-standing tradition of formally welcoming heads of state with a dinner. Earlier on Friday, Putin received a 'Guard of Honor' during his formal welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan before engaging in significant talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The West is closely monitoring Putin's visit.

President Murmu and Modi warmly welcomed the Russian leader in the courtyard of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The day before, the Prime Minister had invited the Russian leader for a private dinner. Following the formal welcome, Putin visited Rajghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. This marks his first visit to India in four years and his first since the onset of the Ukraine war.