Indian Prime Minister Modi visits Russia for the first time in five years.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to Russia took place from July 8-9.
According to RIA Novosti, on July 8, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a visit to Russia. This is his first foreign trip since his re-election and his first visit to Moscow in five years.
This trip by the Indian leader has raised concerns in the West about a "diplomatic victory for President Putin".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia at the invitation of President Putin. The Indian Prime Minister's last visit to Russia was in September 2019, when he attended the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok.
Russian President Putin visited New Delhi in 2021; and met with Prime Minister Modi in September 2022, at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Uzbekistan.
The national leaders regularly maintain contact through telephone conversations. In June 2024, President Putin congratulated Prime Minister Modi on his re-election for a third term as Prime Minister of India. The two leaders agreed on a roadmap for continued “constructive personal interaction.”
Russia and India not only have close bilateral relations since the Soviet era, but also cooperate on platforms such as BRICS, SCO, and G20. At the United Nations, India has consistently opposed resolutions against Russia.
New Delhi is also interested in strengthening cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Consultations are underway on establishing a free trade area between Russia and India.
At the upcoming talks, as reported by the Kremlin, President Putin and the Indian Prime Minister will discuss “the prospects for further development of the traditionally friendly Russia-India relations, as well as current issues on the international and regional agenda.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, stated: “Given the reliable relationship between President Putin and Prime Minister Modi, we can expect an exchange of views on all issues on the agenda. Regional and global security issues are always a priority on the agenda. In addition, bilateral economic and trade cooperation is always one of the main topics discussed.”
The West is closely monitoring Prime Minister Modi's visit. According to Bloomberg sources, President Putin and Prime Minister Modi will also discuss cooperation in the military-industrial complex.
Reuters believes that India, which has increased its purchases of Russian oil, will “demand a higher discount than the current $3-3.5 per barrel.”
Nandan Unnikrishnan, an expert at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, recalled that the two sides had not exchanged high-level visits for a long time, leading to speculation that India was distancing itself from Russia. Therefore, he believes that Modi's trip will put an end to such speculation.
CNN reported: “Russia has assumed the rotating chairmanship of BRICS this year. This allows President Putin to counterbalance the increasing isolation of the West and assert himself as a key player on the broader diplomatic stage.”
