New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarks on a significant two-day visit to Moscow starting today, at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In his tweet, PM Modi highlighted the growth of the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia over the past decade, highlighting advancements in energy, security, trade, investment, health, education, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
“I am embarking on an official visit to the Russian Federation for the 22nd Annual Summit and my first-ever visit to the Republic of Austria over the next three days,” he tweeted.
This visit marks a pivotal moment as it is Modi’s first trip to Russia since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. His last visit in 2019 saw him attend an economic conclave in Vladivostok.
Modi’s programme in Moscow includes a private meeting with Putin, delegation-level talks, restricted talks, a lunch hosted by Putin for the Prime Minister and his delegation, and a visit to an exhibition centre in the VDNKH Complex, Rosatom Pavilion. He will also address a gathering of the Indian diaspora.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in an interview with Russia’s state-run VGTRK television channel, said that the program of Modi in Moscow will be extensive and the two leaders will be able to have informal talks.
‘Obviously, the agenda will be extensive, if not to say overbusy. It will be an official visit, and we hope that the heads will be able to talk in an informal way as well…We are expecting a very important and full-fledged visit, which is so crucial for Russian-Indian relations,’ Peskov said.
Stating that the Russia-India relations are at the level of strategic partnership, Peskov added that there would be both one-on-one talks in the Kremlin and those involving delegations.