New Delhi, Dec 5 (UNI) Following a ceremonial welcome and a tri-services guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat in New Delhi.
He laid a wreath, offered floral tributes at the memorial to the Father of the Nation, and signed the visitors’ book. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh accompanied him during the visit.
Four years after their last in-person meeting on Indian soil, PM Modi and President Putin are set to hold bilateral talks today in the national capital.
Putin then proceeded to begin a packed day of high-stakes diplomatic engagements with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit.
Prior to visiting Rajghat, the Russian President was welcomed at Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Droupadi Murmu and PM Modi, where he received the ceremonial tri-services guard of honour as the Indian and Russian national anthems were played.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Delhi LG V.K. Saxena, CDS General Anil Chauhan, and other dignitaries were present, along with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov and Kremlin aide Dmitry Peskov.
The ceremonial welcome officially marked the beginning of the second day of President Putin’s two-day state visit to New Delhi, aimed at strengthening the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” between the two nations.
The high-level talks are scheduled to follow the reception at Hyderabad House, where PM Modi and President Putin are set to review the extensive bilateral agenda. Discussions are expected to focus heavily on trade and economic cooperation.
Both leaders aim to set a vision for strengthening economic ties and are likely to unveil the Programme for the Development of Strategic Areas of Russian-Indian Economic Cooperation until 2030. The countries have set an ambitious target of boosting bilateral trade to USD 100 billion by 2030.
Talks will cover ongoing military-technical cooperation, including the acceleration of critical hardware deliveries and potential new acquisitions.
The leaders are anticipated to exchange views on regional developments and major global issues, with India expected to reiterate its call for dialogue and diplomacy on international conflicts.
In a special gesture underscoring the close personal rapport between the two leaders, Prime Minister Modi personally received President Putin at the Delhi Airport upon his arrival on Thursday evening, breaking with standard diplomatic protocol.
Russian President Putin visits Rajghat, pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi
