India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to New Delhi on Friday, with defence cooperation, trade, and energy ties taking center stage as India navigates mounting US pressure to curb Russian oil imports.
Putin received a ceremonial red-carpet welcome at the presidential palace, complete with an honour guard and a 21-gun salute, before the leaders began a formal summit.
The visit marks Putin’s first trip to India since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and both sides have outlined a full agenda, including major defence sales, co-production ventures, technological collaborations, and space exploration projects.
Speaking at the outset of the talks, Putin described the day as an opportunity to tackle a “great number of documents” across sectors including defence, technology, aircraft, and space, expressing hope for a “fruitful” summit.
The discussions are also expected to cover the geopolitical fallout from the Ukraine war and the impact of US-imposed tariffs and trade disruptions, notably following Washington’s 50% tariffs on most Indian exports in August, citing New Delhi’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil.
The summit began on a warm, symbolic note: Modi greeted Putin at the airport with a hug on Thursday, and the two later shared a car ride to a private dinner — echoing a similar gesture during their meeting in China last September.
Modi posted a photograph of the two leaders grinning together on social media, noting that “India-Russia friendship is a time-tested one that has greatly benefitted our people.”
Putin told Modi that he had shared detailed updates on the situation in Ukraine and outlined Russia’s efforts, in coordination with some partners including the US, toward a possible peaceful settlement.
Modi reiterated that India stands on the side of peace, thanking Putin for the dialogue and engagement.
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