Putin to travel to India in December; visit to focus on defence and energy ties

Russian President Vladimir Putin will make an official visit to India in December, marking his first trip to the country since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, according to a report by AFP citing Kremlin officials.

The visit comes at a time of heightened tension between New Delhi and Washington, as U.S. President Donald Trump escalates pressure on India over its ongoing oil trade with Moscow. Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, bringing the total import duty to 50 percent. The U.S. has accused India of indirectly funding Russia’s war effort through discounted crude purchases.

India has strongly rejected the accusations and called the new tariffs hypocritical and unjust. Officials in New Delhi have emphasised that their oil procurement decisions are guided by market dynamics and national interest. India has also highlighted that several other major economies, including countries in Europe, continue to maintain significant trade ties with Russia but have not been targeted with similar penalties.

The Kremlin had initially announced that Putin had accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit India earlier this year, but a date had not been confirmed. News of the December visit follows an upcoming bilateral meeting between Modi and Putin, scheduled to take place on September 1 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China.

As India's relationship with the U.S. faces new strains, its ties with Russia and China appear to be strengthening. The upcoming visit is expected to focus on bolstering cooperation across several sectors, including defence, energy, and trade.

Russia remains a key strategic and defence partner for India, with a relationship that dates back to the Soviet era. Moscow has publicly supported India amid U.S. tariff actions, calling the American measures "unjustified" and accusing Washington of "double standards."

The Russian embassy recently stated, "If Indian goods cannot go to the U.S. market, they are welcome to Russia."