Lavrov declares Putin to visit India
(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an official visit to India, with preparations for the trip underway, as announced by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday.
Lavrov made this announcement during a video address at the Russian International Affairs Council conference, titled "Russia and India: Towards a New Bilateral Agenda." He highlighted the symbolic nature of Modi’s first foreign visit after his re-election being to Russia, and now it’s Russia’s turn to reciprocate the gesture.
Modi extended the invitation to Putin during last year’s BRICS summit in Kazan, and Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov had previously confirmed the invitation and indicated that the visit would take place in 2025. In January, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also confirmed that the two countries were finalizing the timeline for the visit.
Putin’s last visit to India was in December 2021, before the Ukraine conflict escalated. The most recent meeting between the two leaders occurred in July 2023 when Modi visited Moscow, and Modi also traveled to Russia in October for the BRICS summit in Kazan.
India has maintained strong ties with Russia despite Western pressure due to the Ukraine conflict. India has not joined the Western sanctions against Russia and has significantly increased economic cooperation, particularly in energy. In 2023–24, bilateral trade surpassed $65 billion, a fivefold increase from 2021, with both countries aiming to raise it to over $100 billion by 2030.
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