Putin Arrives in India: What He Will Discuss with Modi During the Summit.

According to ТСН: Vladimir Putin arrived in India for an official visit at the 23rd summit of the countries. The night before, he was welcomed on the red carpet, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, breaking protocol, greeted Putin on the runway, shaking hands and warmly embracing him. After that, the leaders went for a private dinner in one car.

Formats of Cooperation and Trade Issues

The India-Russia summit has been held annually for the past 25 years, except for the COVID pandemic. The main goal of the event is to strengthen the partnership in the areas of strategic defense, civil nuclear energy, oil, and trade.

Putin arrived in New Delhi with a large business delegation, so trade issues became key on the agenda. Trade volumes between Russia and India reached 68.72 billion dollars.

This year’s summit is particularly significant as the lower house of the State Duma of Russia recently ratified the Agreement on Mutual Logistics Support (RELOS) with India. This agreement defines the procedures for sending Russian military forces, military ships, and aircraft to India and back. Moscow will also offer New Delhi access to Russian naval ports along the Northern Sea Route.

Oil and Ukraine in Focus of Negotiations

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, India has significantly increased the import of Russian oil at discounted prices. If in 2021, the share of Russian oil in Indian imports was 2%, within a few years it rose to nearly 40%.

In August, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on imports of Russian oil, raising the overall tariffs to 50%. The U.S. government justified these actions on the grounds of national security, as oil revenues support the funding of military actions by Moscow in Ukraine. American trade adviser Peter Navarro called the war between Russia and Ukraine “Modi's war,” emphasizing India's role in this process.

India denied these accusations, stating that its oil imports are crucial for ensuring energy security for billions of citizens. To improve relations, India is also increasing energy purchases from the U.S.

“However, the meeting between Putin and Modi will be perceived as a protest against the sanctions and high tariffs imposed by Trump. This is one of the reasons why it will be closely watched in Washington and European capitals,” reports Sky News.

During the meeting with Putin, Modi emphasized the need for the world to return to peace and underscored that New Delhi supports all efforts aimed at this. In response, the Russian president thanked the Indian prime minister “for attention to peaceful efforts in Ukraine” and shared information about negotiations with the U.S.

Moscow is ready to offer New Delhi uninterrupted fuel supplies, and Putin also noted that several agreements have been signed between Russia and India to strengthen cooperation.

This summit demonstrates the desire of both countries to strengthen strategic ties, particularly in the context of growing tension in global politics. Cooperation on security and energy issues can significantly impact the global balance of power, so the further development of relations between Moscow and New Delhi requires special attention from international observers.