Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Russia is “very important”, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin would discuss regional and global security, bilateral ties and trade. The Kremlin had earlier in the year said that PM Modi had an open invitation to visit Russia.
Moscow had described India as a “longtime friend of Russia” and said Russia has relations of special privilege and strategic partnership with New Delhi.
Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vassily Nebenzia, on Monday, had said, “We have relations of special privilege, strategic partnership with India. India is a longtime friend of Russia. We cooperate in so many areas, and I think that will be a substantive conversation on the whole range of issues that our countries cooperate on.”
Nebenzia had said that there would be “serious messages coming out of it” in the form of joint documents. "I expect Russian-Indian relations to blossom even better,” said the envoy.
The visit would be PM Modi's first trip to Russia in nearly five years. His last visit was in 2019 for an economic conclave in Vladivostok. While there is no official confirmation from India, a Kremlin official stated that preparations are underway.
Yuri Ushakov, an assistant to President Putin, confirmed that they are preparing for the visit but did not specify dates. Diplomatic sources suggest that the visit may occur around July 8, though the date is not finalised.
If Modi visits Russia, he and Putin will hold the India-Russia annual summit, which has not taken place for three years. The summit is a key dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between the two nations, with 21 summits held so far in India and Russia alternately.