Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday departed for his two-day State visit to India, local media reported.

Putin is expected to land in New Delhi on Thursday evening, after which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host him for a private dinner, mirroring the gesture the Russian President made when he hosted PM Modi during the latter’s visit to Moscow last year. This marks Putin’s first trip to India since Russia’s war with Ukraine started in 2022.

The 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, scheduled for Friday, comes at a time when the US has imposed punitive sanctions on New Delhi, and will focus on strengthening defence cooperation, along with discussions on trade and energy partnerships.

On Friday, he will be accorded a ceremonial welcome before formal talks begin. Following

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