Last Updated:
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has been cautious about where he travels abroad these days, is likely to visit India in the coming months.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin | File Photo
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has rarely travelled abroad in recent times, is expected to visit India in the coming months, with preparations underway to schedule his foreign trip.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the development, saying that the dates for Putin’s visit to India will be announced soon, as reported by news service Sputnik on Tuesday.
This will mark Putin’s first visit to India since the Russia-Ukraine war began in 2022. The last time Russian President Vladimir Putin visited India was on December 6, 2021, for the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
As of now, New Delhi has not responded to the media reports on Putin’s visit to India.
Putin’s much-anticipated visit to India will come months after PM Modi visited Russia on October 22-23 to attend the 16th BRICS Summit, held in Kazan, under the Chairmanship of the Russian Federation.
PM Modi also visited Moscow in July this year, marking his first visit to the country in 2024. The visit came in the wake of the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit.
Why Putin Limited Foreign Travels?
Putin has been issued an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, according to Russian media reports.
Under the Rome Statute, the court’s founding treaty, ICC members are bound to detain suspects for whom an arrest warrant has been issued if they visit them. However, India has not signed or ratified the Rome Statute.
Notably, November 19 marks the 1,000 days since Russia invaded Ukraine. On the landmark day, Ukraine maintained its stand and pledged to fight back, while Russia vowed to achieve victory in the ongoing conflict.
