New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Moscow yesterday evening, marking his first visit to Russia since the launch of its campaign in Ukraine. Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Denis Manturov, received him at the airport.
“I look forward to further deepening the special and privileged strategic partnership between our nations,” PM Modi said after landing. He is set to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin today.
Tonight, Mr. Putin hosted a private dinner for PM Modi ahead of tomorrow’s 22nd India-Russia summit in Moscow.
“PM is set to hold substantive discussions with President Vladimir Putin to advance the special partnership between the two countries. He will also interact with the Indian community in Russia,” said External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on X.
PM Modi is navigating the delicate balance between maintaining a longstanding relationship with Moscow and building closer security ties with the West. This visit is his first since securing a third term in office.
“I look forward to reviewing all aspects of bilateral cooperation with my friend President Vladimir Putin and sharing perspectives on various regional and global issues,” PM Modi stated before departing India. “We aim to support a peaceful and stable region.”
Landed in Moscow. Looking forward to further deepening the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between our nations, especially in futuristic areas of cooperation. Stronger ties between our nations will greatly benefit our people. pic.twitter.com/oUE1aC00EN
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 8, 2024
Russia remains a key supplier of discounted oil and weapons to India. Meanwhile, Western powers have cultivated ties with India to counter China’s influence in the Asia-Pacific, urging India to distance itself from Russia.
PM Modi last visited Russia in 2019 and hosted Mr. Putin in Delhi two years later, just weeks before Russia’s offensive against Ukraine.
Sources indicate that the visit’s focus is the economic agenda—energy, trade, manufacturing, and fertilizers—highlighting that battlefield solutions are not viable.
India and Russia have maintained a close relationship since the Cold War, with Russia historically being India’s largest arms supplier. However, the Ukraine conflict has strained Russia’s arms supplies. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia’s share of Indian arms imports has significantly declined in recent years.
Conversely, India has become a major buyer of Russian oil, providing a critical export market for Moscow after being cut off from traditional European buyers. This shift has saved India billions of dollars while bolstering Russia’s war finances. In May, India’s month-on-month imports of Russian crude increased by eight percent, reaching the highest levels since July 2023, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
After Russia, PM Modi will travel to Vienna, marking the first visit to the Austrian capital by an Indian leader since former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1983.