New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is on a two-day visit to India, on Friday (December 5) accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan forecourt in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attended the ceremony.
Later in the day, Putin will hold the 23rd India–Russia Summit with PM Modi at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi. Both leaders will have discussions on deepening economic ties and defence cooperation. After the meeting, there will be a joint press conference, where both leaders will share details about the agreements signed during Putin's visit.
According to a report by The Times of India, 10 inter-governmental agreements and over 15 commercial MoUs are expected to be signed between the two countries.
During the bilateral talks between PM Modi and Putin, several key defence deals, especially on fifth-generation fighter jet Su-57, S-400, 500 air defence systems, are expected. Notably, Russia is India's biggest supplier of weapons and other military equipment. India is also expected to push Russia to expedite the supply of the remaining two S-400s.
PM Modi on Thursday received Putin at New Delhi's Palam Airport with a hug amid a group of artistes performing traditional dances. From the airport, the two leaders travelled to Modi's official residence in his car for a private dinner.
"Delighted to welcome my friend, President Putin to India. Looking forward to our interactions later this evening and tomorrow. India–Russia friendship is a time-tested one that has greatly benefitted our people," the Prime Minister had stated in his X post.
The Prime Minister also presented Putin a copy of the Gita in Russian.
After the state dinner at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Russian President will depart for Moscow on Friday evening.
