The Kremlin on Thursday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's unexpected gesture of personally receiving Russian President Vladimir Putin at Palam Airport upon his arrival in New Delhi. Officials in Moscow noted that the Indian side had not informed them in advance, making the moment even more striking. According to the Kremlin, Modi’s decision to walk up to the aircraft ramp to greet Putin was a warm and unanticipated move. "Modi's decision to meet Putin at the aircraft ramp was unexpected, and the Russian side had not been informed in advance," the Kremlin said in a statement.
Putin's visit to India
On Thursday evening, Putin kick-started a nearly 27-hour visit to India to further shore up a nearly eight-decade bilateral partnership that remained in firm footing notwithstanding fractious geopolitical environment and tensions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Putin at New Delhi's Palam airport with a hug and accorded him a warm welcome to India after a gap of four years. The two leaders left the airport in the same car, nearly three months after they travelled together on a vehicle in the Chinese city of Tianjin following the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
23rd India-Russia summit talks
PM Modi is also hosting a private dinner for Putin this evening, in reciprocal gesture to the hospitality extended to the Indian Prime Minister by the Russian leader during his visit to Moscow in July last year. The conversation between the two leaders this evening is expected to set the tone for the 23rd India-Russia summit talks on Friday that is expected to produce a number of key outcomes.
Defence, trade deals on cards
Boosting defence ties, insulating India-Russia trade from external pressure and exploring cooperation in small modular reactors are set to be the focus of the summit meeting between the two leaders that is expected to be closely watched by Western capitals. The Russian leader's visit to New Delhi has assumed greater significance as it is taking place against the backdrop of rapid downturn in India-US relations. Following the summit, the two sides are expected to seal several agreements including in areas of trade.
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