Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, on the second day of his visit to India. During this time, the two countries are expected to finalize several important agreements on economic, defense, energy, agriculture, health, cultural, and technological cooperation.
Major Agreements Expected as Putin Meets Modi in New Delhi
New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Delhi on Thursday evening, where he had a private dinner at Prime Minister Modi's residence. This visit to India is his first official trip since the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022.
December 5 (Friday) will begin with a state welcome – a formal reception at the Presidential Palace, followed by a tricolor guard of honor. Putin will then visit Rajghat to pay tribute at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial. Following this, the summit talks will be held at Hyderabad House.
This summit symbolizes the 25-year-old “special and privileged strategic partnership” between the two countries.
According to sources, special discussions and agreements are expected on the following points:
Trade and Economic Cooperation: Roadmap for economic partnership until 2030; expansion in several sectors including exports-imports, energy, agriculture, fertilizers, and raw materials.
Technology and Energy: Russia's offer of small nuclear reactors, technology transfer, and industrial cooperation.
Defense and Security Partnership: Additional S-400 Triumf missile systems, possibly the 5th generation Sukhoi Su-57 aircraft, and a review of past and present defense deals. Additionally, in 2025, the Russian parliament approved the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) – which allows India and Russia mutual use of military facilities, ports, and air routes. Movement of Labor and Skilled Workers: Discussions on an agreement to facilitate the movement of qualified and temporary workers between the two countries.
Agreements in Health, Agriculture, Food, Media, Culture, etc.: Multilateral agreements on public health, agriculture and food supply, cultural and educational cooperation, media and communication, human resources, etc.
India-Russia bilateral trade has reached approximately $68.7 billion in 2024-25.
Russia wants India to send more Indian goods to Russia this will reduce the trade imbalance and boost Indian exports.
Also, the possibilities of Indian giant companies investing in fertilizer manufacturing in Russia are also under discussion which will strengthen food security and the agricultural sector.
Defense partnership is a central pillar of this summit. Discussions with Putin may include additional consignments of the S-400 system for India, new weapons projects, upgrades of missile systems, and joint defense-industry production.
The RELOS agreement also makes it clear that the military capabilities and cooperation of both countries will be further organized in the future whether it be joint exercises, humanitarian relief operations, or disaster management.
This visit is special because it is Putin's first visit to India since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022.
On the global political landscape, this is a way for both India and Russia to maintain a reliable partnership amidst Western pressures and volatility in energy and raw material prices.
Both countries have declared their strategic partnership as “special and privileged” and this summit is a step towards taking this partnership to the next generation.
Although defense and energy partnerships are deepening, India's closeness to Russia raises concerns in the eyes of the US and Western countries. Furthermore, the India-Russia trade imbalance, global economic pressures, and Western sanctions on Russia could impact the environmental and economic trajectory of this partnership.
Nevertheless, India is attempting to maintain strategic autonomy through this partnership—where it can advance in defense and energy cooperation with Russia, while simultaneously balancing its relations with both the West and Russia.
Putin's visit to India is not merely a ceremonial meeting—it could mark the beginning of a shared path in which both India and Russia will write new chapters in defense, energy, agriculture, industry, technology, and cultural cooperation. The meetings and agreements announced today will determine how strongly this partnership will move forward.
