Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov has shared that preparations for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to India are progressing “very intensively.” He indicated that the visit will feature a “comprehensive agenda” covering key areas such as the economy and defense.
“We are looking forward to a very productive visit of the Russian President to India later this year,” Alipov stated.
Sources suggest that India and Russia are in the final stages of confirming the dates for President Putin’s visit, with the trip anticipated to occur in early December. It is also expected that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit India prior to the summit to discuss bilateral matters and finalize agreements.
The visit, previously announced by the Kremlin, is poised to concentrate on enhancing collaboration in trade, defense, energy, and emerging technologies. Foreign Minister Lavrov himself confirmed the planned December visit during a UN General Assembly session, underscoring the ongoing diplomatic coordination between Moscow and New Delhi.
President Putin’s visit gains particular significance in the current geopolitical climate, especially following recent criticisms from US President Donald Trump regarding India’s continued oil imports from Russia. Washington has also previously imposed tariffs on Indian goods due to its ongoing energy trade with Moscow.
Addressing queries about oil imports, Ambassador Alipov emphasized that India’s energy sourcing decisions are fundamentally guided by its national interests. He remarked, “The Indian government is having in mind the national interest of this country in the first place, and our cooperation in energy is very much in tune with those interests.”
These comments followed President Trump’s assertion that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him of India’s intention to halt Russian oil purchases. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) later clarified its stance, reaffirming India’s independent energy policy. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective.”
Jaiswal further noted that discussions with the US regarding energy procurement have progressed positively, with the current administration showing interest in deepening energy cooperation with India.