Putin’s Visit to India Nearly Confirmed, Says Ajit Doval
India and Russia have “almost” confirmed the dates for President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to India for their annual summit, according to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval during his recent trip to Moscow. While discussions last year indicated Putin might visit in 2025, a specific date hadn’t been finalized until now. This will be Putin’s first trip to India since the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Official sources later clarified that Doval did not provide a specific date during his meetings and rejected claims from Russian media suggesting that Putin would come in August. Regardless, it is expected that the leaders will meet later this month during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin.
During his visit, Doval also met with Putin and expressed excitement about the upcoming visit. He stated, “I think the dates are almost finalised. Summit-level meetings have always been significant points that have shaped our relationship.” In discussions with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Shoigu, the two talked about energy and defense cooperation.
Shoigu highlighted the importance of strengthening the ties between Russia and India, emphasizing mutual respect and the goal of promoting security and stability in the world.
Putin’s visit comes amid a complicated backdrop involving a trade skirmish between the U.S. and India, particularly surrounding U.S. pressure on India to reduce energy and defense imports from Russia. The Kremlin has confirmed that a meeting between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to happen soon, and India hopes this could lead to a ceasefire in Ukraine, which would benefit its relations with the U.S.
Doval was informed about the discussions between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin that led to the anticipated Trump-Putin meeting. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is also set to visit Moscow shortly.
Doval expressed optimism that the summit between Modi and Putin would pave the way for enhanced bilateral cooperation and yield “tangible and substantial” results. He reiterated the significance of the India-Russia partnership amidst global uncertainties and thanked Russia for its support following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
Shoigu confirmed that Russia is committed to fortifying its strategic and privileged partnership with India based on trust and mutual interests.
