PM Modi lands in Moscow: 5 things the prime minister said on India-Russia ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, July 8, said he was looking forward to further deepening the special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia.

Modi made the comments after landing in Moscow. He was received at the airport by Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov.

The Indian PM was accorded a guard of honour at the airport.

What Modi said after arriving in Moscow --

“Landed in Moscow. Looking forward to further deepening the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between our nations, especially in futuristic areas of cooperation,” Modi said on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

“Stronger ties between our nations will greatly benefit our people,” he added.

What Modi said before his departure --

“India seeks to play a supportive role for a peaceful and stable region,” Modi said in his departure statement.

“The special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia has advanced over the past 10 years, including in the areas of energy, security, trade, investment, health, education, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges,” Modi also said.

“I look forward to reviewing all aspects of bilateral cooperation with my friend President Vladimir Putin and sharing perspectives on various regional and global issues,” he added.

Modi is on a two-day high-profile visit to Russia to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin with a focus on boosting bilateral ties in areas of energy, trade and defence.

Modi greeted members of the Indian diaspora as he reached Hotel The Carlton in Moscow. Russian dance groups performed dandiya at the hotel to welcome PM Modi.

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It is Modi's first trip to Russia since 2019, the first after the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022 and the first in Modi's third term as the prime minister.

Putin is set to host a private dinner for PM Modi on Monday night ahead of Tuesday's talks at the 22nd India-Russia summit in Moscow.

“PM is set to hold substantive discussions with President Vladimir Putin to take forward the special partnership between the two countries. He will also interact with the Indian community in Russia,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X.

The spotlight of the Modi-Putin summit talks is expected to be on further boosting bilateral cooperation in trade, energy and defence.

The Ukraine conflict is likely to figure in the discussions.

After Modi’s Russia visit is concluded on July 9, he will leave for Austria in the first visit by an Indian prime minister in over 40 years.