The long-awaited visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India has been scheduled for December. This visit marks Putin’s return to India after a gap of almost four years, as announced by Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy advisor at the Kremlin. The last time Putin visited India was on December 6, 2021.
Ushakov also shared that President Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet in Tianjin, China, on Monday, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit to discuss preparations for the December visit. “Especially important is that preparations for the upcoming visit of our President Putin to India in December will be discussed,” Ushakov said. The meeting in Tianjin will be their first in-person meeting this year, despite their consistent communication via phone.
This visit coincides with increased US tariffs on Indian goods, including a rise in duties on Indian purchases of Russian crude oil. India has defended its energy purchases from Russia, stating that they are based on national interest and market considerations. Despite Western sanctions against Russian oil following the 2022 Ukraine invasion, India has continued its crude oil imports from Russia.