PM Modi to Host Private Dinner for Vladimir Putin Ahead of India-Russia Summit in New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a private dinner for Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly after his arrival in New Delhi on Thursday, offering the two leaders a chance to hold candid discussions away from public view, people familiar with the matter said.

Putin will land in the Capital on Thursday evening for a little over a 24-hour state visit — his first trip to India since December 2021. On December 5, the two leaders will hold both restricted-format talks and delegation-level discussions during the annual India-Russia Summit.

The private dinner at the PM’s residence is seen as a reciprocal gesture to the personal dinner Putin hosted for Modi during the latter’s visit to Moscow in July last year. The informal setting is expected to allow the leaders to exchange views on key bilateral and global issues.

Packed Agenda on December 5

Putin will receive a ceremonial welcome and tri-services guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan, followed by a visit to Raj Ghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. Talks at Hyderabad House will then cover a wide range of areas, including trade, economic cooperation, agriculture and academic exchange.

A business event at Bharat Mandapam, jointly organised by FICCI and Roscongress, will highlight efforts to expand and rebalance bilateral trade. While two-way trade reached nearly $68 billion last year — driven largely by India’s import of Russian oil — India’s exports to Russia stood at under $5 billion. Finding ways to boost Indian market access will be a key focus.

After launching the Indian channel of Russian state broadcaster RT at ITC Maurya on Friday, Putin will attend a state banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu before departing.

Strengthening Defence and Strategic Cooperation

Ahead of the visit, Russia’s Parliament ratified the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) — a major step in deepening defence ties. Signed earlier this year in Moscow, the pact sets procedures for mutual access to military facilities, logistics support, joint exercises and humanitarian missions. It is similar in scope to India’s LEMOA agreement with the United States.

Talks are also expected to cover ongoing and future military cooperation, including supplies of the S-400 air defence system, the Su-57 fighter jet, and collaboration on small modular nuclear reactors.