India’s Modi to visit Russia for first time since Ukraine war, underscoring Delhi-Moscow ties

India and Russia share deep economic and political ties, which remain strong despite sanctions after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine

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Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi before a meeting in New Delhi in 2021. Photo: AP

Published: 9:00pm, 25 Jun 2024Updated: 5:07am, 26 Jun 2024

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Russia for the first time since the start of the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine, a trip that follows his return to office for a third term and underscores the strong ties between the two countries.

The Kremlin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, announced Modi’s trip on Tuesday, saying the exact dates of the visit will be confirmed later. Tass news service reported earlier that the Indian leader was set to spend two days in the country in early July.

Modi’s trip to Moscow will be a short, official visit, said a senior Indian official, who asked not to be identified because discussions are private. It would be his first trip to the Russian capital since 2015. Modi visited Vladivostok in 2019 and last met Russian leader Vladimir Putin two years ago on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment when contacted for further information.

India and Russia share deep economic and political ties, which have remained strong despite sanctions against Moscow from the US and other Western governments after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

India, the world’s third-largest crude consumer, is a major buyer of discounted Russian oil. Moscow remains India’s biggest supplier of military hardware, accounting for 36 per cent of India’s arms imports, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.