Putin’s India visit a major step toward deepening ties – deputy PM

The upcoming visit of President Vladimir Putin to India is a major step toward deepening Moscow’s partnership with the South Asian nation, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov has said. 

In an interview with news outlet ANI on Tuesday, Manturov described the presidential visit as a return to the tradition of annual high-level summits.

Putin is slated to arrive in India on December 4 for a two-day trip. It will be his tenth visit to India and his first since 2021. 

Manturov said both sides have thoroughly prepared the agenda to ensure that the meetings are productive. 

“That would be the first visit of our President Vladimir Putin to your friendly country for a long period of time,” he told ANI. “That returns us to the tradition of annual high-level summits which represents an undeniable success. Together with our Indian colleagues we have thoroughly prepared the agenda for the visit. We expect that all the meetings and negotiations that are to take place will be fruitful and will give new momentum for our two countries’ strategic cooperation in all areas.”

He said senior government and business leaders from both sides would also meet under the auspices of the India-Russia Forum.

The forum will explore ways to expand and diversify bilateral trade, including boosting Indian exports of equipment, raw materials, and food products to Russia, Manturov added.

The deputy PM is also the co-chair of the India-Russia Inter-governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation.