India PM Narendra Modi assembly Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is about to fulfill President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday, marking his first go to to the Kremlin for the reason that invasion of Ukraine.

Their assembly is critical as it is the Indian premier’s first bilateral journey abroad since he was reelected for a uncommon third time period in June.

The 2 leaders are set to strengthen the event of “historically pleasant relations between Russia and India,” in addition to talk about “topical points on the worldwide and regional agendas,” the Kremlin stated final week.

The assembly will present a chance for the 2 sides to evaluation a spread of bilateral points — from protection and commerce, to funding ties and power cooperation, India’s International Secretary Vinay Kwatra stated in a media briefing on Friday.

Since March, India has sought the discharge of nationals, stated to have been “duped” into serving within the Russian military, following the uncovering of what the South Asian nation has labeled as a “main human trafficking community.”

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered a slew of sanctions from the Group of seven nations, in addition to different international locations, as world leaders sought to chop off or restrict Moscow’s potential to fund the conflict. The Kremlin has insisted on calling the invasion a “particular navy operation.” 

India has kept away from outright criticism of Putin however has saved a impartial stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, whereas urging each side to finish the conflict. New Delhi, nevertheless, condemned the killing of civilians early within the Ukraine battle however didn’t assign blame to Russia. 

Modi’s go to to the Kremlin comes on the heels of his assembly with G7 leaders in Italy final month, the place the bloc of industrialized nations — made up of the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UK — agreed to fund Ukraine’s conflict in opposition to Russia with income from frozen Kremlin property.

India and Russia have shared a long-standing safety cooperation partnership for the reason that Chilly Battle interval, with New Delhi’s armed forces closely reliant on Moscow for navy tools.

Modi’s final go to to Russia was in 2019 when he visited the far jap port of Vladivostok for an financial discussion board. The 2 final met in individual in 2022 on the Shanghai Cooperation Group held in Uzbekistan, the place Modi had advised the Russian president that it was not an period of conflict however stopped in need of condemning his actions in Ukraine.

Russia, just like the U.S., has its personal place in India’s international coverage, stated former Indian International Secretary Kanwal Sibal in a current publish on social media platform, X.

“Neither India nor the worldwide south take into account Putin a world pariah,” the previous ambassador to Russia added. 

India’s bilateral commerce with Russia jumped 33% within the monetary 12 months ended March 2024, hitting an all-time excessive of $65.7 billion. Nonetheless, commerce stays imbalanced, Kwatra identified.

India’s exports to Russia had been $4.26 billion, whereas imports from the Kremlin amounted close to $61.44 billion, official information confirmed.

Following his two-day go to to Russia, Modi will head to Vienna, Austria on Tuesday in what can be the primary go to by an Indian prime minister in 41 years.