Putin's 2-Day India Visit Begins Today, Defence, Trade On Agenda: 10 Points

Here are 10 points on this big story:

1. President Putin is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi this evening. Within hours of his arrival, Prime Minister Modi will host him for a private dinner, reciprocating a similar gesture extended by the Russian leader during PM Modi's Moscow visit in July 2024. The dinner is expected to be informal, providing both leaders an opportunity to set the tone before the formal summit.

2. On Friday morning, President Putin will begin his official engagements with a ceremonial welcome. He will then travel to Rajghat to pay respects at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, an engagement that has become standard for visiting heads of state.

3. This will be followed by the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit at Hyderabad House in the national capital. Prime Minister Modi will also host a working lunch for the Russian President and his delegation as part of the summit programme.

4. India is expected to press for expedited delivery of pending military hardware, particularly given delays in certain platforms since the war in Ukraine began.

5. Key items expected to be discussed include additional S-400 air defence systems. India signed a USD 5 billion deal in 2018 for five S-400 units. Three squadrons have been delivered and two more are expected by mid-next year. The systems were used effectively during Operation Sindoor.

6. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said discussions may include India's interest in the Su-57 fifth-generation fighters. India is currently evaluating next-generation platforms, with contenders such as the Rafale, F-21, F/A-18, and Eurofighter Typhoon.

7. Energy security will feature prominently, with the impact of US sanctions on Indian imports of Russian crude oil expected to be a central topic. Peskov said India's purchases may decline "for a brief period", though Russia is making efforts to sustain supplies.

8. Besides PM Modi and President Putin's meeting, the defence ministers of both countries -- Rajnath Singh and Andrey Belousov -- are expected to sit down for talks on critical military hardware. 

9. President Putin's visit comes at a time when India-US relations have faced a few setbacks. Washington recently imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods across categories and 25 per cent levies specifically linked to India's procurement of Russian crude. 

10. President Putin is also expected to brief Prime Minister Modi on the latest US diplomatic initiatives regarding the conflict in Ukraine. India has maintained that dialogue and diplomacy are the only path forward, avoiding criticism of Moscow while positioning itself as a potential mediator.