NEW DELHI: The two-day official visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which began this evening with his arrival in New Delhi, is expected to significantly deepen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, with a strong emphasis on expanding economic cooperation and addressing the current trade imbalance.

President Putin is accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes seven ministers and a large group of prominent Russian business leaders, signalling Moscow’s keen interest in broadening commercial ties beyond traditional defence and energy sectors.

A key priority for New Delhi is reducing India’s growing trade deficit with Russia, which has widened sharply since 2022 because of discounted crude oil imports. Indian exports to Russia, though rising, remain f

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