Russian President Vladimir Putin will be in India today to hold the 21st annual India-Russia summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Putin will have the first in-person meeting with Prime Minister Modi since their brief meeting at the BRICS summit in Brasilia in November 2019.
The partnership brings real mutual benefit to both states. The Russian President said yesterday that bilateral trade shows good dynamics and that ties are actively developing in the energy sector, innovation, space, and the production of coronavirus vaccines and medicines.
The Russian President will hand over the model of an S-400 air defence system to PM Modi. India and Russia will hold the first 2 - 2 dialogue to be held at the level of the foreign and defence ministers. The dialogue is expected to focus on political and defence issues of mutual interest. The agenda for the dialogue will cover political and defence issues of mutual interest. Arindam Bagchi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said earlier that the establishment of this new mechanism of two plus two dialogue is expected to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Putin decided to go ahead with the visit despite the fact that a new COVID 19 strain Omicron has affected the schedule of several bilateral and international summits.