Russia and India are poised to elevate their bilateral relations to an unprecedented level, with Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to visit India soon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed in a televised address on Thursday.
“Preparations are being made for the President’s visit,” Lavrov stated, though he did not disclose a specific date. He noted that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made Russia his first foreign visit after securing a third consecutive term in office, and that now it was Russia’s turn to reciprocate.
During Modi’s visit to Russia in 2023, he extended an invitation to President Putin for an official state visit to India. “President Vladimir Putin has accepted the invitation from the Indian head of government.
A visit by the Russian head of state to the Republic of India is being planned,” Lavrov reiterated.
Lavrov made these remarks at a conference titled Russia and India: Toward a New Bilateral Agenda, organized by the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC). If finalized, this visit would mark Putin’s first trip to India since the outbreak of the Ukraine war in February 2022.
Economic cooperation is expected to be a major focus of the visit, with both countries working towards doubling their annual bilateral trade to over $100 billion. A key aspect of this expansion will be the Chennai-Vladivostok maritime trade corridor, which aims to strengthen supply routes between Russia and India. Currently, bilateral trade between the two nations stands at approximately $60 billion per year.
Lavrov emphasized Russia’s intent to redefine its partnership with India, stating that Moscow is committed to developing a “special and privileged strategic partnership” with New Delhi. President Putin had recently echoed this sentiment in a message to Indian President Droupadi Murmu, reaffirming Russia’s commitment to deepening cooperation across multiple sectors and strengthening ties in global affairs.
“Russia-India relations are based on a special and privileged strategic partnership. I am confident that we will use joint efforts to continue to consistently build up productive bilateral cooperation across all areas, as well as constructive interaction in international affairs. Without a doubt, this meets the fundamental interests of our friendly peoples and is in line with the efforts to form a fair, multi-polar international order,” Putin had written in his most recent message to President Droupadi Murmu.