Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit India on December 4 and 5, the Kremlin confirmed on Friday. The visit comes amid heightened international attention following U.S. tariffs on India over its purchase of Russian oil.
The two-day trip is expected to focus on deepening bilateral ties, with several key agreements likely to be signed. Analysts note that Russia faces a shortage of skilled professionals in construction, metallurgy, engineering, and electronics, creating potential employment opportunities for over 70,000 Indian workers and experts. Talks on formalizing such cooperation are expected during the visit.
This marks Putin’s first visit to India since 2021. In 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Putin met twice, including during the July bilateral summit, where Modi was awarded Russia’s highest civilian honor, the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle. They also met last October in Kazan during the BRICS Summit, and recently at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in China to discuss strategic and economic matters.
The visit highlights the strategic significance of India-Russia relations and is expected to bolster cooperation across diplomatic, economic, and technical sectors.