Putin’s 2025 India Visit Signals Major Reset in India-Russia Strategic Ties

Two-day New Delhi summit to review defense, energy, trade, and regional cooperation amid global tensions and shifting geopolitical alignments

Putin’s India Visit: A Pivotal Moment for the Strategic Partnership

Russian President Vladimir Putin will undertake a state visit to New Delhi, India, on December 4 and 5, 2025. The visit comes at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is being viewed as a major geopolitical event. This will be Putin’s first trip to India since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. His last visit to New Delhi took place in December 2021.

23rd Annual Summit to Steer Bilateral Relations

Putin’s visit coincides with the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit, where he will lead the Russian delegation. During the two-day engagement, he and Prime Minister Modi will hold comprehensive bilateral talks to review all aspects of the “privileged strategic partnership.”

The discussions will encompass defense, energy, trade, regional security, and global developments.

Putin will also hold a separate meeting with President Droupadi Murmu, who will host a state banquet in his honor at Rashtrapati Bhavan. According to the Kremlin’s announcement on November 28, 2025, several intergovernmental and commercial agreements are expected to be signed, although specific details have not yet been disclosed.

Key Preparatory Meetings: Patrushev and Jaishankar Set the Stage

Preparations for the visit have been in motion since November 18, 2025, when Nikolai Patrushev, Aide to the Russian President and Chairman of Russia’s Maritime Board, met Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi.

Earlier, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Putin in Moscow, conveyed Modi’s greetings, reviewed summit preparations, and discussed regional issues.

MEA Announcement Highlights the Strategic Importance

India’s Ministry of External Affairs formally announced the visit on November 28, 2025. The MEA emphasized that the trip will fortify bilateral strategic ties at a time of heightened global tension and shifting geopolitical alignments.

Defense Cooperation: S-400, Joint Manufacturing, and Continuing Synergy

Defense cooperation will be one of the most crucial pillars of the summit.

Key agenda points include:

Follow-ups on the S-400 missile defense system, of which India has received three of five squadrons, despite U.S. threats under the CAATSA sanctions framework.

Acceleration of joint defense manufacturing projects, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile program.

Review of progress in the AK-203 rifle production line under the India-Russia Rifles Private Limited joint venture.

India’s Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh reaffirmed on November 28, 2025, that defense cooperation with Russia will continue “unabated.” He stressed that India remains committed to strategic autonomy, even as it diversifies defense imports and prioritizes domestic production.

Energy Cooperation: Navigating Tariffs, Sanctions, and Supply Concerns

Energy will be another major focus area. Current challenges include:

 Russia’s 25% additional tariff  imposed on Indian goods in August 2025, which Moscow described as retaliation against “illegal trade pressures.”

A projected decline in India’s December 2025 imports of Russian oil to the lowest level in three years due to Indian refiners’ compliance with Western sanctions.

Both sides are expected to discuss mechanisms to stabilize long-term energy cooperation. A key component will be the expansion of local currency settlements to bypass dollar dependencies.

Bilateral trade crossed $65 billion in 2024, driven primarily by India’s massive crude oil imports, making it Russia’s largest oil buyer.

Business Forum to Boost Commercial Engagement

The summit will feature an India–Russia Business Forum aimed at strengthening commercial ties.

Elena Protopopova, TASS Bureau Chief in India, stated on November 28, 2025, that the forum will evaluate progress since the last summit and set targets for increasing bilateral trade volumes.

Recent High-Level Engagements Strengthen Coordination

Prime Minister Modi and President Putin last met on the sidelines of the **Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, on September 1, 2025.

Modi’s July 2024 visit to Moscow also helped revive momentum in the partnership.

Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that both nations are engaged in “active coordination,” with joint decisions and announcements planned closer to the visit.

Global Context: U.S. Scrutiny and Shifting Power Dynamics

The visit is taking place amid close scrutiny from the United States. On November 28, 2025, the incoming Trump administration announced a permanent pause on migration from third-world countries, a move analysts believe could reshape Indo-Pacific dynamics.

India’s longstanding defense ties with Russia remain under U.S. observation, particularly given ongoing sanctions against Moscow.

Trade Imbalance and Economic Considerations

India faces a trade deficit exceeding $50 billion with Russia, driven mainly by energy imports. This issue is expected to be raised during talks as both countries explore avenues for more balanced, sustainable growth in bilateral trade.

Security, Logistics, and Final Arrangements

As of November 29, 2025, there are no changes to Putin’s schedule. Security arrangements in New Delhi are progressing routinely, with multiple agencies coordinating preparations. Rashtrapati Bhavan is finalizing arrangements for the state banquet.

No further updates have been issued by the Kremlin, the MEA, or Russian state media since their November 28 announcements.