Modi Arrives in Moscow for High-Stakes Summit with Putin

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Moscow on Monday, marking his first visit to Russia in five years. He last visited the country in 2019 for an economic summit in Vladivostok. This two-day visit is part of a broader tour that includes Austria.

Upon arrival, PM Modi was greeted with a guard of honor at Moscow airport and received by Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Denis Manturov, who is senior to the deputy prime minister that welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit.

In a statement before departure, Modi expressed enthusiasm for the visit, highlighting the opportunity to deepen ties with Russia and Austria, both long-standing friends of India. He also looked forward to engaging with the Indian communities in these nations.

During the 22nd India-Russia annual summit, Modi and President Vladimir Putin will discuss expanding bilateral relations in various sectors, including trade, energy, and defense. This summit is the highest institutional dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between the two countries. The previous summit was held in New Delhi on December 6, 2021, with Putin attending.

The two leaders last met for bilateral talks during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan in September 2022. Modi has consistently advocated for ending the Ukraine conflict, emphasizing that “today’s era is not of war.” Despite not condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, India has maintained that the crisis should be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.

From Russia, PM Modi will proceed to Austria on Tuesday, marking the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the country in over 40 years.