Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India soon as dates are being finalized for the annual India-Russia bilateral summit, according to reports by Russian news agency Interfax citing Indian National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval.
“We have got a special, long relationship, and we value this relationship. We have had high-level engagement, and these high-level engagements have contributed very substantially. We are very excited and delighted to learn about the visit of President Putin to India. I think the dates are almost finalised now,” the NSA Ajit Doval said.
Doval’s recent visit to Moscow comes amid rising tensions between India and the United States. The strain in relations follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of 50% tariffs on Indian goods, reportedly in response to New Delhi’s continued procurement of Russian oil.
The United States has recently escalated trade tensions with India by imposing steep 50% tariffs on select Indian exports, a move widely interpreted as retaliation for New Delhi’s continued energy and defence engagements with Moscow. Washington has expressed growing discomfort over India’s sustained imports of discounted Russian oil, despite Western sanctions on Russia following the Ukraine conflict.
The tariff hike signals a hardening of the U.S. stance, as the Trump administration seeks to pressure India into aligning more closely with Western policy on Russia. This development threatens to strain the strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi, especially at a time when India is seeking to balance its ties between the West and long-standing partner Russia.
When confirmed, the date will mark President Putin’s first visit to India since December 2021. The upcoming summit is expected to focus on key strategic, defence, and economic cooperation. One major area of interest may be food and fertiliser security, after Putin recently acknowledged increasing fertiliser exports to India at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s request.
Defence collaboration is also likely to be a central theme. Russian platforms such as the S-400 missile defence system and the Indo-Russian BrahMos missile joint venture played a pivotal role in India’s recent Operation Sindoor, which targeted Pakistani military assets largely supplied by China. Putin had reportedly extended strong support for India’s counter-terrorism measures ahead of the operation.
In addition to the bilateral summit, Modi and Putin are expected to meet on the sidelines of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China, although specific details of that engagement remain uncertain.
As geopolitical dynamics continue to shift, Putin’s anticipated visit underscores the strategic importance of the India-Russia relationship in the evolving global landscape.
