Putin’s schedule includes a formal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a private discussion, and a broader bilateral summit focused on defense, trade, and technological cooperation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin began a two-day visit to India on Thursday aimed at strengthening defense cooperation and consolidating a strategic partnership under mounting international pressure.
His arrival comes as the Trump administration intensifies demands for New Delhi to scale back its purchases of Russian oil—a central flashpoint in U.S.–India relations.
Putin’s schedule includes a formal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a private discussion, and a broader bilateral summit focused on defense, trade, and technological cooperation. A business forum is also planned for the following day to explore joint industrial and energy projects.
One of the key issues is the delivery of S-400 air defense systems. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the matter holds an “important place on the agenda.”
India currently operates three S-400 units, with two pending deliveries from a 2018 agreement disrupted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent Western sanctions. Moscow may also propose co-production of Su-57 fighter jets in India, according to local reports.
India, historically one of the world’s largest arms importers, has long maintained a close military partnership with Russia.
However, Moscow’s share in India’s defense imports has declined sharply—from 76% in 2009–2013 to 36% in 2019–2023, according to SIPRI. This shift reflects India’s increasing push to develop its domestic defense industry and diversify suppliers.
Putin’s visit unfolds amid heightened commercial tensions. Washington has adopted a critical stance toward India’s energy trade with Russia.
In August, Trump imposed 50% tariffs on most Indian products in response to continued Russian oil imports, arguing that the purchases indirectly fund the war in Ukraine. Facing this pressure, India recently reduced part of its crude imports from Russia to avoid further retaliation.
After being excluded from European markets, Russia found in India one of its largest oil buyers. Yet the Modi government is attempting to balance this energy dependence with the need to preserve its strategic relationship with the United States, particularly as both capitals negotiate sensitive tariff agreements and deepen cooperation in technology and security.
Peskov stated that Moscow is not concerned about U.S. tariffs. “What matters to us is maintaining and expanding our bilateral trade with India without interference,” he said during a briefing hosted by Sputnik India.
Putin’s last visit to India was in December 2021. Analysts say this new trip offers both leaders a key opportunity to reassess the global landscape, review the trajectory of the
