Desk:Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to visit India. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed this on Thursday, stating that preparations for the visit are underway. Speaking at a conference titled “Russia and India: Towards a New Bilateral Agenda,” organized by the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), Lavrov emphasized, “Now it’s our turn,” indicating Russia’s commitment to strengthening ties with India.
According to the Russian state news agency TASS, Lavrov stated, “President Vladimir Putin has accepted the invitation from the Prime Minister of India for an official visit. Preparations are currently in progress for the Russian leader’s trip to the Republic of India.”
Lavrov highlighted that after being re-elected last year, PM Modi’s first foreign visit was to Russia. Modi had visited Russia in July 2024, marking his first trip to the country in nearly five years since attending an economic summit in Vladivostok in 2019. During his visit, PM Modi had extended an invitation to President Putin to visit India.
Although the exact dates of Putin’s visit have not been disclosed yet, Lavrov reiterated Russia’s commitment to fostering stronger diplomatic relations with India. On March 24, he emphasized that Russia is actively developing a “special and privileged strategic partnership” with India.
Lavrov also mentioned Russia’s efforts to expand relations with countries like China, Iran, North Korea, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). He stated, “Russia and China share an unprecedented level of mutual trust in their comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation. Similarly, India and Russia continue to strengthen their privileged strategic partnership.”