Russian President Putin Set To Visit India Early Next Year As Kremlin Confirms Receiving PM Modi's Invitation

Kremlin confirmed receiving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin, inviting him to visit India early next year, The Hindu reported.

Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said that there is an agreement between Modi and Putin to hold meetings once a year and since Modi went to Moscow in July this year, "This time, it’s our (Russia's) turn." 

PM Modi extended an invitation to Putin to visit India during their discussions. On 8 July, PM Modi traveled to Moscow and his visibly warm interactions drew attention in Washington and Kyiv.

"We received Mr Modi’s invitation and we will certainly consider it positively. We will figure out the tentative dates early next year," Ushakov added without divulging further details.

Last month, the Kremlin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Putin is all set to visit India soon to meet Modi but the precise dates of the visit will be worked out soon. 

This will be President Putin's first visit to India since the Ukraine-Russia conflict began in 2022. India has consistently called for "peace and diplomacy" as a means to resolve the ongoing conflict between the two nations.

According to the Russian Embassy in India, Putin and PM Modi maintain regular communication, holding phone discussions every few months, in addition to in-person meetings.

This year, the two leaders met twice, first during PM Modi's trip to Moscow in July for the 22nd Russia-India summit and second for the BRICS Summit in October in Russia's Kazan.

PM Modi's July visit to Russia was his first bilateral trip after beginning his third term in office. During the visit, he was awarded Russia’s highest honor, “The Order of St. Andrew the Apostle.”