Putin's visit from 4th: Private dinner with PM, defence talks, trade push and labour mobility pact on agenda

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on 4 December for a two-day state visit. This will be President Putin’s first official trip to India since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.

Putin last visited India in December 2021, just a couple of months before the Russian army invaded Ukraine. The Russian president will be given a red-carpet welcome at the South Block, where the 23rd annual India-Russia summit will be held.

President Putin’s itinerary also includes a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhawan, a banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu, and bilateral discussions aimed at furthering cooperation across multiple sectors, according to media reports.

Private Dinner with PM Modi

The visit is scheduled to begin with a private dinner on Thursday, 4 December, at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg, according to a report in The Indian Express. The itinerary has not been shared officially yet.

Putin will also receive a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on the morning of 5 December, followed by bilateral talks between Modi and Putin at Hyderabad House, according to a report by The Indian Express.

PM Modi and President Putin will then go to Bharat Mandapam for a meeting with the business leaders from both countries, followed by the launch of Russia Today’s India operations.

The two sides will also focus on trade and economic ties, and negotiations are on for a potential free-trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union, reports said. PM Modi and President Putin will also discuss defence ties and the process to ensure the safe return of Indian nationals enrolled in the Russian military.

Other issues on the agenda include civil nuclear cooperation with Russia, sharing small modular reactor technology, completing existing nuclear plants, and developing trade corridors and sea routes.

The two sides are also working on the labour mobility agreement that will enable Indian skilled and semi-skilled professionals to work in Russia’s construction, healthcare and hospitality sectors. The document has been finalised, and the internal processes are in the last stage.

S-400s and Su-57 high on Putin's India visit agenda

The trade volume has grown to $63 billion and is expected to reach $100 billion by 2030.
Addressing an online media briefing on 2 December, organised by Sputnik news agency in Delhi, Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the President of Russia, stated that the S-400s and Su-57 are high on the agenda of the Russian President’s visit.

The Kremlin spokesperson said that Russia is exploring opportunities to increase imports from India. Peskov pointed out that the trade volume has grown to $63 billion and expressed confidence that it will reach $100 billion by 2030.