Putin Lands in Delhi for High-stakes India Visit, Defence and Trade Deals

Vladimir Putin touched down in New Delhi Thursday for a two-day state visit that aims to reboot and deepen ties between Moscow and New Delhi. (Dawn)

At the airport, Narendra Modi greeted him — red carpet, hugs, a shared ride to Modi’s residence, a clear signal of the importance New Delhi attaches to this summit.

A private dinner on Thursday evening will give way to formal summit talks on Friday. Ahead: hard conversations on defence, energy, trade and diplomacy.

Defence on the radar  

According to NDTV, Defence cooperation is front and centre. Moscow is expected to table offers for fresh shipments of its advanced S-400 air-defence systems — possibly with technology transfer enabling local manufacture.

There’s also talk of co-production of next-gen platforms like the Su-57 fighter jet, upgrades for existing Sukhoi fleets, and joint efforts on cruise- and hypersonic missile systems.

Beyond hardware, the broader cooperation matrix spans aircraft and shipbuilding, nuclear and space projects, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and labour mobility. “The range of our cooperation … is huge,” Putin told Indian media after arrival.

Trade imbalance and energy balancing  

Trade is also under the spotlight. Bilateral commerce touched roughly US$68.7 billion in 2024–25, but Indian exports to Russia remain minuscule, around US$4.9 billion. 

New Delhi is pushing Moscow to open up its markets — for pharmaceuticals, automobiles, services — hoping to rebalance the ledger while still keeping energy imports from Russia.

Walking a diplomatic tightrope  

This meeting comes amid rising tension from the West, especially the U.S., over India’s continued import of discounted Russian oil.

Yet, for officials in New Delhi and Moscow alike, the narrative is different. A senior Indian diplomat described the summit as an opportunity to “reset the relationship at a critical geopolitical moment.”

For both countries, this visit is more than just another summit. It’s a statement of intent — that the decades-old partnership still matters, and that both sides are ready to take it into a new era of deeper cooperation. As the 48-hour sprint unfolds, all eyes will be on the deals signed and the signals sent, not just in South Asia, but across global geopolitics.