Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Moscow on Monday, marking the start of his two-day State visit to Russia and Austria. Upon his arrival at the Moscow airport, the Indian Premiere was given a guard of honour.
Before his departure, the PM shared on X, “Over the next three days, will be in Russia and Austria. These visits will be a wonderful opportunity to deepen ties with these nations, with whom Bharat has time tested friendship. I also look forward to interacting with the Indian community living in these countries.”
This visit is significant as it is PM Modi’s first trip to Russia in five years, following his attendance at an economic summit in Vladivostok in 2019. Additionally, this is his first visit since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.
During the 22nd Bharat-Russia annual summit scheduled for Tuesday, PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to discuss enhancing bilateral relations across various sectors, including trade, energy, and defence.
The annual summit represents the highest level of dialogue in the strategic partnership between Bharat and Russia, with 21 summits held alternately in both countries. The last summit took place on December 6, 2021, in New Delhi, attended by President Putin. This will be Putin’s tenth visit to Bharat as the head of the Russian State.
Modi and Putin last engaged in bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on September 16, 2022. During the meeting, PM Modi asserted on the need to end the conflict in Ukraine, stating, “Today’s era is not of war.” He has also communicated with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky multiple times over the phone.
Bharat has refrained from condemning Russia-Ukraine conflict, advocating instead for a resolution through diplomacy and dialogue.
Following his visit to Russia, PM Modi will travel to Austria on Tuesday, marking the first visit by an Indian PM to the country in over 40 years.
