PM Modi hosts intimate dinner for Russian President Vladimir Putin
Notedly, Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s New Delhi visit has assumed greater significance as it takes place against the backdrop of rapid downturn in India-US relations. After the summit, the two sides are expected to seal several agreements including in areas of trade and defence.
PM Modi also hosted an intimate dinner for Putin, in reciprocal gesture to the hospitality extended to the Indian Prime Minister by the Russian leader amidst his visit to Moscow in July last year.
On Friday morning, Putin was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan before the summit.
PM Modi also hosted a working lunch for the Russian leader and his delegation at Hyderabad House, the venue of the summit. Putin visited Rajghat in the morning, according to people familiar with the matter.
After the summit, Putin launched the new India channel of Russian state-run broadcaster, following which he attended a state banquet hosted in his honour by President Droupadi Murmu.
The Russian leader departs from India around 9 pm on Friday. After the summit, Putin launched the new India channel of Russian state-run broadcaster, following which he attended a state banquet hosted in his honour by President Droupadi Murmu. In the summit talks, New Delhi pressed for addressing the increasing trade deficit caused by India’s procurement of large volumes of Russian crude oil.
The Russian President’s trip to India is at a juncture when India-US relations are going through possibly the worst phase in the last two decades after Washington imposed a whopping 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, including 25 per cent levies for New Delhi’s procurement of Russian crude oil. The impact of American sanctions on India’s procurement of Russian crude oil is likely to be discussed at the summit. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday said New Delhi’s purchase of crude oil from Russia may decline for “a brief period” in view of Western sanctions, but, at the same time, he said Moscow is taking steps to enhance the supplies.
Ukraine conflict also on agenda
At the summit, Putin apprised PM Modi about the latest US efforts to bring an end to the Ukraine conflict. India has been consistently maintaining that dialogue and diplomacy is the only way forward to end the war. Following the Modi-Putin talks, the two sides inked a plethora of agreements, including one on facilitating the movement of Indian workers to Russia, and another on logistical support under a broader framework of defence cooperation. It is learnt that under the trade basket, Indian exports to Russia are expected to significantly increase in areas of pharma, agriculture, food products and consumer goods. The move comes amid concerns in New Delhi over a ballooning trade deficit in favour of Russia.
News Edit KV Raman
