Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin travel in a car from Palam Airport in New Delhi on Thursday (December 4). Photo: X/@narendramodi
Delighted to welcome my friend Putin, says Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Russian President Vladimir Putin at New Delhi's Palam airport, hugging him and accorded him a warm welcome to India after a four-year gap
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday night (December 4) kick-started a nearly 27-hour visit to India to further shore up a nearly eight-decade bilateral partnership that remained on firm footing notwithstanding a fractious geopolitical environment and tensions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Putin at New Delhi's Palam airport, hugging him and accorded him a warm welcome to India after a four-year gap. The two leaders left the airport in the same car, nearly three months after travelling together in a vehicle in the Chinese city of Tianjin after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
Private dinner planned
Modi is hosting a private dinner for Putin this evening, in a reciprocal gesture to the hospitality extended to the Indian prime minister by the Russian leader during his visit to Moscow in July last year.
During his two-day stay, Putin will meet President Droupadi Murmu and later attend a private dinner organised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to presidential aide Yury Ushakov, the two leaders will review a range of “promising projects” across industrial collaboration, innovative technologies, transportation links, peaceful space initiatives, mining, healthcare and labour mobility.
Ushakov noted that the political relationship between New Delhi and Moscow continues to be “regular and confidential,” underscoring the depth of the strategic dialogue.
The visit comes at a crucial juncture, as it comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on several categories of Indian goods, a development that has strained India-US bilateral ties.
In the run-up to the summit, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that discussions may include Russia potentially supplying Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets, as India proceeds with its own advanced aircraft procurement plans.
Putin is also expected to attend the Russia-India Business Forum and participate in the launch of RT’s television channel in India, signalling the expanding scope of bilateral cooperation.
Energy trade will remain a core point of negotiation. Citing Bloomberg, reports indicate that India aims to balance affordable Russian crude imports with concerns over possible US sanctions or tariff measures.
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Follow more LIVE updates below
Live Updates
- 4 Dec 2025 5:59 PM IST
Rajnath: India-Russia defence cooperation moving at healthy pace
At the 22nd India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military Technical Cooperation ministerial meeting in Delhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says, "I thank you very much for coming all the way to India to discuss and promote bilateral defence cooperation between our countries. Russia is a time-tested, special privileged, and strategic partner of India, and our bilateral defence cooperation has grown significantly since the signing of the Declaration of the India-Russia Strategic Partnership in 2000."
"It is good that despite the geopolitical uncertainty, our India-Russia defence cooperation is moving at a healthy pace and the outcome-oriented exchanges between our Armed Forces personnel and experts have maintained the momentum of our defence partnership," he added.
Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov said, "Namaste, I am glad to meet you once again on Indian soil. As you just said, our countries are tied with a solid, time-proven friendship, which is based on mutual respect. And on our way here, while we were in the car discussing various things, we came to the common ground that we are bound by very deep traditions which are typical of the Russian and Indian nations."
- 4 Dec 2025 5:51 PM IST
'Russia wants to expand its trade with India'
On Russian President Putin's visit to India, Chairman of the World Trade Centre in Mumbai, Vijay Kalantri, told ANI, "It is a landmark visit... It's a fact that the trade deficit has increased significantly, as trade has now reached $65 billion, and next year, it will reach $100 billion... India has a growing market, so Russia is also thinking of entering it... They also want to expand their trade with India, and it's a fact that Russia has been our reliable and true friend, and we need to expand our trade further... Our growth is increasing; therefore, we definitely need new markets for export... I believe that after this forum meeting, we will see results next year, and our exports will increase in many areas that were previously lacking."
- 4 Dec 2025 5:07 PM IST
'Exports to Russia have now grown to $5 billion'
Director General of FIEO Ajay Sahai says Russian delegation is focused on increasing imports from India.
- 4 Dec 2025 4:30 PM IST
Sambit Patra slams Rahul Gandhi over claims of govt not allowing foreign leaders to meet LoP
BJP MP Sambit Patra said, "The statements made by Rahul Gandhi as the LoP are irresponsible and not based on facts. First, he claimed that international dignitaries are not allowed to meet the LoP because the Government of India feels insecure. Why would the Government of India be insecure about Rahul Gandhi? Today, India has become a pillar of the global economy. Second, he said that whenever he goes abroad, our government asks leaders of those countries not to meet him. Making such statements is irresponsible.”
- 4 Dec 2025 4:20 PM IST
Need to make India-Russia trade more balanced: Goyal
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said there are huge opportunities to expand bilateral trade between India and Russia and work towards making it more balanced.
He said sectors that hold potential to boost exports from India to Russia include consumer goods, food products, automobiles, tractors, heavy commercial vehicles, electronics like smartphones, industrial components, and textiles.
Bilateral trade is reaching USD 70 billion "but we cannot rest, we need to grow, we need to balance that," Goyal said here India-Russia Business Forum meeting, organised by industry chamber FICCI.
India's exports to Russia stood at USD 4.9 billion in 2024-25, while imports were USD 63.8 billion in the last fiscal year, leaving a trade deficit of about USD 59 billion.
The two sides have fixed a target of USD 100 billion bilateral trade by 2030.
He also said India can offer huge in services sector also to Russia.
Speaking at the meet, Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation, said India's share in Russia's imports is less than 2 per cent and it needs to be increased.
There is a need to increase this for a more balanced trade, Oreshkin said.
He added that in six major areas India can increase the supplies and that include agriculture, pharma, telecom equipment, industrial components, and human resources.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal emphasised on the need to simplify processes so that Indian businesses can increase exports to Russia.
- 4 Dec 2025 3:53 PM IST
Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov arrives in India
The Russian Defence Minister will co-chair the 22nd India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military Technical Cooperation ministerial meeting.
- 4 Dec 2025 3:42 PM IST
Photos: When Modi accompanied Vajpayee to Moscow in 2001
In 2001, when then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Russia and met Putin, Narendra Modi, then the Chief Minister of Gujarat, accompanied him.
- 4 Dec 2025 3:36 PM IST
Omar Abdullah: India should persuade Putin to stop attacks on Ukraine
Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India, said, “We have very old and deep relations with Russia. It is a country that has repeatedly stood by India whenever conspiracies were plotted against us, during wars, and when attacks came from our neighbours. Russia came forward to help us... If our Prime Minister’s strong relationship with President Putin can somehow benefit Ukraine, and if we can persuade Russia to adopt the path of peace and stop the attack on Ukraine, then I believe it will be a success for everyone.”
- 4 Dec 2025 3:32 PM IST
Russia is India's friend in good and bad times: Piyush Goyal
Union Minister Piyush Goyal, speaking at an event, said, "Our PM Narendra Modi had captured the very soul of our relationship with Russia when he said, 'On hearing the word Russia, the first word that comes to the mind of every Indian is 'India's sukh-dukh ka saathi'." It translates to India's companion and friend in good and bad times."
- 4 Dec 2025 3:19 PM IST
Putin’s India visit seen as a key moment in bilateral reset
Former diplomat Rajiv Bhatia says the visit carries major significance as it is Putin’s first trip since the Ukraine war, comes amid strains in India–US ties and post-G20 shifts, and is expected to centre on strengthening India–Russia relations with an emphasis on economic cooperation.
