PM Modi Set to Visit Russia Next Month, Says Putin's Aide
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Russia next month, according to an announcement from the Kremlin on Tuesday. Vladimir Putin's foreign affairs aide, Yuri Ushakov, mentioned that preparations for the Indian Prime Minister's visit are underway, but no specific date has been set. Ushakov indicated that the date will be jointly announced later.
There has been no confirmation from the Indian side regarding PM Modi's potential visit, his last being in 2019. The visit is being organized for the annual India-Russia summit.
In May this year, Putin was sworn in for his fifth consecutive term as President of Russia, while Narendra Modi took the oath for his third consecutive term as Prime Minister of India on June 9. If the visit occurs, it will be PM Modi's first trip to Russia since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reported that two more Indian nationals serving with the Russian Army were killed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, raising the total number of such deaths to four. Reports indicate that approximately 200 Indian nationals were recruited as security helpers in the Russian military. New Delhi has called for a "verified stop" to the further recruitment of Indian nationals by the Russian Army.
As a longstanding ally of Russia, India has refrained from explicitly condemning the invasion of Ukraine. New Delhi has increased its purchase of Russian crude oil, despite initial pressure from the US, arguing that this move is necessary to control domestic oil prices.
President Putin last visited New Delhi in 2021 for the annual India-Russia Summit, which has not been held for the past two years. The two leaders last met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in September 2022, where Modi urged Putin to follow the path of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine conflict.