Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India later this year, Interfax new agency quoted National Security Adviser Ajit Doval as saying during his Moscow trip on Thursday.
This would make it Putin's first visit to India since the Ukraine conflict began in 2022. The visit assumes significance as the Donald Trump administration doubled the tariffs imposed on India to 50 per cent, citing that India's purchase of Russian oil is "fuelling the war machine" in Ukraine and undermining the US foreign policy objectives.
Will Putin's India visit offer Modi enough incentives to continue buying Russian oil?
Doval said New Delhi is "excited and delighted" about Putin's visit, adding that past India-Russia summits were "watershed moments" in bilateral ties. Going by Doval's words, the two sides are expected to take key decisions and ink major deals during the upcoming bilateral meeting.
Indian state-run refineries have scaled back their oil purchase from Russia. But if Putin can offer enough incentives and even cheaper oil, India might consider continue buying Russian crude. However, Trump could scale up the tariffs to punish India further and so it is for Modi government to balance its foreign policy without alienating either the US or Russia while also ensuring that its national interests and economic security are not coming the way.
Another scenario is that New Delhi could mediate a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv, considering Modi's close relations with both Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy. If a ceasefire is reached, India could give Trump enough reasons to back down on tariffs.
Earlier, some reports claimed that Putin could visit by the end of August. However, sources in the MEA later clarified that Putin would visit India only by end of the year while the final dates are being worked out. Meanwhile, Putin is also expected to meet Trump in the coming days following US envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to Moscow.