Vladimir Putin To Visit India On December 5 For Russia-India Forum, Confirms Moscow Organisers

Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to India on December 5 to attend the Russia-India Forum in New Delhi, according to the event’s organiser, Roscongress. The visit marks a significant diplomatic engagement between the two nations as they continue to deepen economic and strategic cooperation amid ongoing global tensions surrounding Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Putin is expected to participate in the plenary session of the forum and meet with senior Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders last spoke in October, reaffirming their commitment to a “special and privileged strategic partnership,” as described in a statement by India’s Ministry of External Affairs. The upcoming forum is anticipated to explore energy cooperation, defense collaboration, and trade diversification as both countries recalibrate in response to shifting global economic dynamics.

Despite Western sanctions on Moscow, India has maintained strong trade ties with Russia, particularly in the energy sector. Since 2022, India has significantly increased imports of discounted Russian crude oil, defying international pressure to curtail purchases. The United States has urged India to scale back energy imports from Moscow, with President Donald Trump recently imposing a 50% tariff on Indian exports while hinting at a potential trade deal to reduce the levy. Trump also acknowledged a “reduction” in India’s oil purchases from Russia, a sign of evolving trade negotiations between Washington and New Delhi.

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Putin’s travel schedule has drawn attention, particularly because of an international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in March 2023 over the alleged deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. As India is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC, the Russian president faces no threat of detention during his visit. Since the warrant, Putin has limited his overseas engagements to countries outside the ICC’s jurisdiction, including China.

The leaders last met in September in Tianjin, China, during a regional summit hosted by President Xi Jinping. Images from the event showed Modi, Putin, and Xi sharing light conversation on the sidelines, underscoring their continued diplomatic engagement. Putin’s December visit is expected to reinforce Moscow’s commitment to its long-standing partnership with India as both nations navigate complex geopolitical shifts in the global order.

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