Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India next week for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit—his first visit since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022.
At the heart of the agenda for Putin's visit from December 4-5 will be the strategic relationship between the two nations. New Delhi and Moscow are trying to find ways to protect this bond amid Donald Trump's punitive tariffs, which threaten to drive a wedge between the two.
This follows an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year.
🇷🇺🇮🇳 On December 4-5, President #Putin will pay a state visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister @narendramodi.
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) November 28, 2025
This visit carries special importance, offering an opportunity to review the entire #RussiaIndia special & privileged strategic partnership.#DruzhbaDosti pic.twitter.com/zb0qICLpDp
"[The two sides are set to] review progress in bilateral relations, set the vision for strengthening the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’ and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest," the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.
This time, defence agreements and Russian oil purchases are expected to dominate the agenda.
Specifically, the fact that New Delhi seems to be bowing to the pressure of the 50 per cent export tariffs on India by negotiating a potential deal to cut Russian oil imports will likely see Moscow miffed, a Lowy Institute report pointed out.
Russia has earlier tried to nudge India towards continuing to buy its energy if the possible liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) import deal with the US costs the same.
"[Indians] will never allow themselves to be humiliated by anyone," Putin had said at the international Valdai discussion forum at Sochi in October this year.
In that regard, the think tank report added that defence agreements will be crucial in India's attempts at placating Russia, should it choose to go forward on the LPG deal.
Defence costs and the availability of spare parts have always been an important reason behind India's dependence on Russian defence systems, especially the S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, aka Sudarshan Chakra.
The S-400 system also proved its worth for India during Operation Sindoor and the 88-hour conflict with Pakistan that followed it.
As a result, despite the last two of the five S-400 squadrons—that India ordered in 2018—not delivered due to the Russia-Ukraine war, India has considered adding more S-400s to its wishlist, an ANI report had said in October.
Russia’s offer of manufacturing fifth-generation Su-57 stealth fighters in India is also a huge pull, as it aids the 'Make in India' initiative, and keeps the defence bond with Moscow alive.
With the challenges posed by the Trump administration, all eyes are on India to see how much of its strategic autonomy it can maintain without the US by its side, as it slowly looks at opportunities from other nations too.
