• Source:JND
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended warm greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin on his 73rd birthday, reaffirming India’s commitment to strengthening its longstanding ties with Moscow. During a phone conversation, PM Modi conveyed his best wishes for good health, prosperity, and continued success in all of Putin’s endeavours. He also expressed his eagerness to welcome the Russian leader to India for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, scheduled for December.

The two leaders reiterated their shared vision of a balanced multipolar world and emphasised the importance of maintaining global stability. Both PM Modi and President Putin expressed satisfaction over the steady progress of strategic initiatives in critical areas such as nuclear energy, defence co-production, and high-technology cooperation.

In an official statement, the Prime Minister noted, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation today with the President of the Russian Federation, HE Mr Vladimir Putin. The Prime Minister warmly congratulated President Putin on his 73rd birthday and conveyed best wishes for good health and success in all his endeavours. The two leaders reviewed the progress on the bilateral agenda, and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. The Prime Minister conveyed that he looks forward to welcoming President Putin to India for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.”

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Scheduled Visit And High-Level Engagements

President Putin is expected to arrive in India on December 5-6 for the summit with PM Modi. The high-level visit was first announced during National Security Adviser Ajit Doval’s visit to Moscow in August, though the dates were finalised later. The Russian President also met PM Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in China, where the two leaders held an hour-long discussion in Putin’s limousine.

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The visit comes amid heightened tensions between New Delhi and Washington over India’s trade relations with Russia. US President Donald Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods as a response to India’s purchase of Russian oil, claiming the measure aimed to pressure Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. India countered that it imported Russian oil as traditional supplies were diverted to Europe following the outbreak of war.