India and Russia are set for a busy Friday as visiting President Vladimir Putin takes part in a slew of engagements on day 2 of his official Delhi visit, during which the two long-standing partners will also hold their 23rd annual summit.
The day of extensive official engagements began with the Russian leader receiving a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were also present on the occasion.
Later, President Putin visited Rajghat, where he paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. He also signed the visitors’ book.
Putin will now head to Hyderabad House for holding restricted and delegation-level talks. He will, later in the day, also interact with representatives of the Indian industry and attend a state banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu before departing for Moscow at around 9 PM.
The annual summit is expected to produce a series of agreements across defence, labour mobility, logistics, and trade, outcomes closely watched internationally, as they unfold amid a sharp chill in India-US relations and renewed Western pressure on Russian energy supplies.
Ceremonial welcome, summit talks and business outreach on Friday
Putin began his day with the traditional guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan, which will be followed by a visit to Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial. The core of the day, however, will be the summit at Hyderabad House, where PM Modi and the Russian President will first meet in a restricted format before holding broader delegation talks.
Organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Roscongress, a joint business event at Bharat Mandapam is also on the agenda. The Russian leader will wrap up his visit with a formal banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan and is scheduled to leave Delhi at around 9 pm.
A major focus of the talks will be on insulating bilateral trade from external shocks, addressing India’s ballooning deficit driven largely by crude oil imports, and advancing defence cooperation, including progress on the S-400 system, small modular reactors and potential future platforms.
Thursday’s warm optics set the tone
Yesterday’s events, though largely ceremonial, set the mood for a consequential Friday. Prime Minister Modi personally welcomed Putin at Delhi’s Palam airport (a gesture India usually reserves for only a handful of leaders) before the two drove together to the PM’s official residence. Artistes performing traditional dances greeted the Russian President at the tarmac, underlining the significance India attached to his first visit in four years.
Later in the evening, the PM hosted an intimate dinner for the visiting leader. The residence at Lok Kalyan Marg was lit up with flowers, flags and special décor for the occasion. The conversations over dinner are understood to have laid the groundwork for Friday’s summit outcomes.
PM Modi also emphasised the personal chemistry between the two leaders, writing on X that he was “delighted” to welcome his “friend” President Putin and looked forward to their discussions.
Gita gift highlights cultural diplomacy
In a symbolic moment on Thursday night, PM Modi presented a Russian-language edition of the Bhagavad Gita to Putin.
Presented a copy of the Gita in Russian to President Putin. The teachings of the Gita give inspiration to millions across the world.@KremlinRussia_E pic.x.com/D2zczJXkU2
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 4, 2025
Defence ties: S-400, Su-57, logistics pact likely on the table
The summit comes a day after comprehensive talks between Indian and Russian defence ministers in Delhi. Discussions included India’s plans for additional S-400 units and other critical hardware, systems that played a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor. The 2018 deal for five S-400 units had gone through despite explicit warnings from Washington under its Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had on Tuesday indicated that the possibility of supplying Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets may also surface in the Modi-Putin talks. India is evaluating options in that category, with Rafale, F-21, F/A-18 and Eurofighter also in the race.
A logistics support pact, part of a broader defence cooperation framework, is among the agreements expected to be inked.
Trade imbalance, energy pressure and the shadow of US sanctions
India is likely to push for narrowing the trade imbalance. Notably, imports from Russia hover around USD 65 billion annually, compared to roughly USD 5 billion worth of Indian exports. New Delhi is particularly concerned about vulnerable sectors such as fertilisers, where Russia supplies 3–4 million tonnes each year.
The talks will also assess the impact of fresh US sanctions on Russian oil companies. India’s crude purchases from Russia have dipped recently, though Moscow has reportedly offered deeper discounts to stabilise the flow. Western pressure has intensified after Washington imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, along with additional duties tied to India’s Russian oil imports. The move has strained Delhi-Washington ties to their lowest point in two decades.
Peskov has said the temporary decline in India’s purchases is understandable under sanctions but stressed that Russia is taking steps to strengthen supplies.
Ukraine conflict update expected; India sticks to line on diplomacy
Putin is expected to brief PM Modi on the latest US moves and diplomatic efforts related to the Ukraine conflict. India has consistently maintained that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable route to a lasting resolution.
Broader trade agenda: pharma, agriculture, consumer goods may see gains
Officials say Indian exports to Russia are poised for expansion in pharma, agro-products and consumer goods. The two sides will also revisit New Delhi’s long-pending interest in a free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.
For India and Russia, the annual summit mechanism is a decades-old tradition. So far, 22 summits have been held, alternating between the two countries. The last time Putin visited Delhi was in 2021; PM Modi travelled to Moscow for the summit last July.
Both capitals continue to describe the relationship as “time-tested”, even as geopolitical equations shift rapidly around them.