Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has announced that a visit by President Vladimir Putin to New Delhi is being planned for December 2025.

The statement was made on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, underlining the depth of India-Russia relations at a time of shifting global strategic equations.

Lavrov emphasised that the upcoming visit would cover a wide-ranging bilateral agenda. He mentioned cooperation in trade, defense, finance, healthcare, high technology, artificial intelligence, and humanitarian matters. In addition, both countries are coordinating closely on multilateral platforms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS, demonstrating the global dimension of their partnership.

Highlighting India’s independent foreign policy stance, Lavrov stated that India is “perfectly capable” of making its own decisions in its trade and energy relations with Russia. He referred to his conversations with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who is also scheduled to visit Russia later this year, while Lavrov himself will travel to India. These regular exchanges, he noted, symbolise the depth and resilience of bilateral engagement.

Lavrov also praised India’s diplomatic posture of self-respect, drawing a parallel to Turkey. He cited Jaishankar’s response to questions on US oil and trade pressure, noting that India makes sovereign decisions on energy purchases without linking them to its relations with Washington. According to Lavrov, this reflects India’s commitment to independent decision-making and strategic autonomy.

Responding to questions about possible impacts of US tariffs and secondary sanctions on India for continuing to buy Russian oil, Lavrov dismissed concerns, asserting that the India-Russia economic partnership is “not under threat.” He stressed that New Delhi has been clear in choosing partners based on its own national interests, while keeping doors open for constructive trade discussions with the United States separately.

The remarks indicate that Moscow views New Delhi as a stable and long-term partner in the face of geopolitical challenges. India’s balancing act—maintaining large-scale oil imports from Russia while pursuing closer ties with the US and Europe—appears to be acknowledged by Moscow with respect and confidence.

Putin’s expected visit in December would therefore not only reinforce traditional India-Russia ties but also carry significant geopolitical weight. It is expected to send a strong signal that despite global polarisation and US-led sanctions regimes, New Delhi and Moscow intend to maintain and deepen their strategic and economic cooperation.

Based On ANI Report