Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to land in New Delhi on Thursday, December 4, to commence a high-stakes visit culminating in annual summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, December 5. This summit, a tradition that was temporarily paused following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, signals a major push by both nations to strengthen their strategic partnership amidst geopolitical tensions.
Summit Agenda Highlights
The talks are expected to be comprehensive, covering defense, energy, and economic stability. According to Kremlin spokesperson Dimitri Peskov, Russia’s primary goal is to use the summit to protect trade ties with India from sanctions imposed by the US administration.
Here are the key points on the agenda for the summit between PM Modi and President Putin:
- Insulating Trade from US Sanctions: Both nations will discuss measures to safeguard India-Russia trade and financial transactions from the economic sanctions imposed by the United States.
- Deepening Defence Cooperation: Strengthening military ties remains a core pillar. This commitment was underscored by the Russian Parliament’s lower house, the State Duma, which on Tuesday ratified the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistic Support (RELOS) agreement signed earlier on February 18. Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin described the ratification as “another step toward reciprocity and, of course, the development of our relations.”
- Nuclear Energy Proposal: Russia is slated to present an offer to India regarding the deployment of small modular reactors for nuclear energy, addressing India’s growing power needs.
- Manpower Mobility Agreement: An agreement facilitating the mobility of skilled and semi-skilled manpower between the two countries has been finalized.
- Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Negotiations: Negotiations commenced last week on an ambitious Free Trade Agreement between India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), a five-member bloc that includes Russia. This FTA is expected to be a major discussion point, aiming to address New Delhi’s concerns regarding existing tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade.
India’s Assertion of Strategic Autonomy
The timing of the summit is significant. The meeting is widely viewed as an opportunity for India to assert its strategic autonomy by actively reinforcing defence and economic ties with Moscow. This move comes despite consistent pressure from the US urging New Delhi to reduce its substantial purchases of Russian energy and military equipment. By hosting Putin and advancing key deals, India is signalling its independent approach to foreign policy and national interest.