Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Russian President Vladimir Putin warmly at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, ahead of the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. This visit marks President Putin’s first to India in four years and highlights the enduring partnership between the two countries.

Upon arrival, President Putin paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. The President laid wreaths and floral tributes at the memorial dedicated to the Father of the Nation and signed the visitors' book. He was accompanied by Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, during the visit.

Prior to Rajghat, President Putin was welcomed at Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Modi. The reception included a ceremonial tri-services guard of honour, accompanied by the national anthems of India and Russia, signalling the close diplomatic ties.

Key dignitaries attended the ceremony, including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Delhi LG V.K. Saxena, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan. Russia’s Defence Minister Andrey Belousov and Kremlin aide Dmitry Peskov were part of the visiting delegation.

This visit follows the last in-person meeting between the two leaders in December 2021. On arriving at Palam Airport on Thursday, President Putin was greeted uniquely by PM Modi on the tarmac, who broke protocol to embrace him warmly.

PM Modi expressed on social media, calling the leaders’ friendship “time-tested” and expressed delight in welcoming President Putin back to India after four years. This reflects the strong personal and diplomatic rapport shared between the two leaders.

The leaders shared a car ride to PM Modi’s residence at Lok Kalyan Marg. There, President Putin was honoured with a gift—a copy of the sacred Bhagwad Gita—symbolising cultural respect and shared values.

The two-day state visit sets the stage for substantive bilateral talks aimed at strengthening strategic cooperation, defence ties, and economic partnerships between India and Russia. This summit is highly anticipated by both nations given the current geopolitical climate.

The India-Russia partnership continues to be a cornerstone of India’s foreign policy. This visit reaffirms the longstanding friendship and signals a commitment to deepening collaboration across multiple domains.

Based On ANI Report