Moscow/New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a warm welcome by Russian President Vladimir Putin as he arrived for a private dinner at his spacious Novo-Ogaryovo state residence on the outskirts of Moscow on Monday evening. The two leaders shook hands warmly and exchanged a friendly embrace before they sat down for informal talks ahead of dinner.
PM Modi in a post on X thanked President Putin for hosting him at Novo-Ogaryovo, and said he is looking forward to their formal summit talks on Tuesday, which would help to strengthen their bilateral ties.
“Gratitude to President Putin for hosting me at Novo-Ogaryovo this evening. Looking forward to our talks tomorrow as well, which will surely go a long way in further cementing the bonds of friendship between India and Russia.”
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said:
“A meeting of two close friends and trusted partners.
“PM @narendramodi welcomed by President Vladimir Putin of Russia at his official residence at Novo-Ogaryovo for a private engagement.
“An occasion for the two leaders to cherish & celebrate India-Russia friendship.”
A Russian-Hindi translator, translating President Putin’s welcoming words in Hindi, said: “Honourable PM, my good friend, a very warm welcome. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Russia. While formal talks will take place tomorrow, we can hold informal talks today about the same topic in this home atmosphere. “
Later, PM Modi and President Putin sat on an electric golf cart for a drive around the massive estate of the presidential state residence. The two leaders alighted a little away off near the entrance, and both were seen talking animatedly as they walked towards the residence.
According to sources, the focus of PM Modi’s Moscow visit is the economic agenda – with emphasis on cooperation in energy, trade, manufacturing and fertilizers.
PM Modi is also expected to touch on the Ukraine conflict, and reiterate India’s position that “a solution cannot be found on the battlefield”, the sources added.
India has always insisted on dialogue and diplomacy as the only way forward to find a solution to the Ukraine conflict.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that the West is “jealously” monitoring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia.
“They [the West] are jealous, which means they are watching closely. Watching closely means they attach great importance [to the visit]. And here, they are not mistaken; there is indeed great significance,” Peskov said in an interview with Russian media on Sunday.
According to the Kremlin, the discussions on bilateral relations will cover defence cooperation, investment, education and culture, and people-to-people ties.
New Delhi attaches “great importance” to the trip, Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra told the media ahead of the visit. The last bilateral meeting between Modi and Putin was in 2021, when the Russian leader visited New Delhi.
The Moscow visit of PM Modi comes as the West is preparing to gather in Washington for the NATO summit on July 9-11.
