Putin's Upcoming Visit to India: A Reflection on 25 Years of Friendship with Modi
Putin's State Visit to India
The highly anticipated visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin serves as a reminder of his nearly 25-year friendship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2001, Modi, then the Chief Minister of Gujarat, traveled to Moscow alongside then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Putin is set to arrive for a two-day state visit and will participate in the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. This visit will provide an opportunity for both leaders to review the progress in bilateral relations, outline strategies to strengthen their 'special and privileged strategic partnership,' and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
Significance of the Visit
This upcoming trip marks Putin's first visit to India since 2021. The last meeting between the two leaders took place on September 1 of this year during the SCO summit in Tianjin, China. During that encounter, Modi and Putin traveled together in the Russian President's car to their bilateral meeting venue, where Modi later remarked on the depth of their discussions.
Modi has been a strong advocate for peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, frequently conveying to President Putin that now is not the time for war, as food, fertilizer, and fuel security are among the world's pressing concerns. During this visit, the Russian delegation is expected to engage in extensive discussions on trade, economic, scientific, technical, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation, along with current international and regional issues.
Agreements and Collaborations
According to reports, during Putin's visit, ten intergovernmental documents and over 15 agreements and memorandums between commercial and non-commercial entities of both nations are being prepared for signing. This will be his first visit since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, with his last trip occurring in December 2021. Putin's two-day visit is taking place at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi.
Historical Context
At the invitation of PM Narendra Modi, President Putin will pay a State visit to India from 4-5 December 2025 for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit
— Media House (@MediaHouse) December 4, 2025
(Photos from Moscow from 2001, when the then Gujarat CM Modi had accompanied the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee) pic.twitter.com/JEkKxj9gX6