Putin’s India Visit: Defence, Trade & Strategy On Agenda As Modi Sets Stage For Key Talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in India for a high-stakes two-day visit on December 4–5, just months after his warm bilateral meeting with PM Modi at the SCO Summit in Tianjin. With Modi declaring that “1.4 billion Indians await your visit,” and Putin praising the depth of India–Russia ties, this reunion carries major strategic weight. The leaders will discuss defence, nuclear cooperation, technology, oil, and a record $68.7 billion trade partnership. High-end platforms like the S-500 missile-defence system may feature prominently, even as Russia’s S-400 proved decisive during Operation Sindoor. As US trade tensions linger and the Ukraine conflict reshapes global geopolitics, Putin’s trip to India could redefine power balances—and deepen a decades-old partnership.