Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a clear message to Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of their bilateral meeting at Hyderabad House in Delhi, stating, “India is not neutral, India is on the side of peace.”
The remark set the tone for a high-stakes engagement as both leaders prepared to discuss the ongoing Ukraine conflict and a wide-ranging bilateral agenda.
President Putin, in turn, shared updates on the Ukraine war, outlining Russia’s position and developments on the battlefield.
He stressed that Moscow is “working on a peaceful settlement”, while keeping India apprised of the situation.
Putin Receives Tri-Services Guard of Honor at Rashtrapati Bhavan
Putin, on a two-day state visit to India, received a tri-services guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday morning.
The ceremony was attended by President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, among other officials.
PM Modi personally welcomed the Russian President on his arrival in New Delhi, greeting him with a hug and a tight handshake. On the second day of his visit, Putin also visited Raj Ghat to pay homage at the memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi.
23rd India–Russia Summit: Defence, Energy, Skilled Labour Mobility
The leaders met at Hyderabad House for the 23rd India-Russia Summit, a platform aimed at deepening cooperation across several sectors.
Putin was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including his Defence Minister Andrei Belousov and senior executives from Russian business and industry.
Among them were representatives of state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, and reportedly the heads of sanctioned oil companies Rosneft and Gazprom Neft.
Russia Says Putin’s India Trip ‘Of Great Importance’
Ahead of the visit, the Kremlin described Putin’s India trip as “of great importance,” emphasising that it provided an opportunity for a comprehensive review of the “extensive agenda” of the “particularly privileged strategic partnership” between the two countries.
Putin’s 30-hour speed trip to India comes at a time of rising tensions between Washington and New Delhi. The United States has recently imposed tariffs and threatened sanctions over India’s historic ties with Russia and its significant increase in imports of Russian crude oil since the start of the Ukraine conflict.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
