Russian President Vladimir Putin extended a warm welcome to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi late Monday, offering a personal tour of his residence outside Moscow ahead of their official talks scheduled for Tuesday at the Kremlin. According to Russia’s TASS state news agency, Putin embraced Modi at his home in Novo-Ogaryovo, addressing him as his “dear friend” and expressing his happiness at seeing him.
The Russian president offered Modi, who is on his first visit to Russia in five years, tea, berries, and sweets, and took him on a tour of the grounds in a motorized cart. “Our official talks are tomorrow, while today in this comfortable, cozy setting we can probably discuss the same issues, but unofficially,” TASS quoted Putin as saying.
Russian state news agencies reported that Putin and Modi visited the residence’s stable and watched a show with performing horses. The Russian Embassy in India shared a video of the two leaders enjoying the drive, which followed a conversation between them. “At the Novo-Ogaryovo residence of the President of Russia near Moscow, Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi, who is on a two-day official visit to Russia, hold an informal meeting,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stated on X. “The talks will cover prospects for further development of traditionally friendly Russian-Indian relations, as well as current international and regional issues,” they added.
In response, PM Modi also shared a post on X, expressing gratitude to the Russian President for hosting him and stating that he looked forward to their talks, which will strengthen India-Russia friendship.
Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov received PM Modi at the Vnukovo-II Airport. PM Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport. Notably, PM Modi and Putin have met 16 times over the past 10 years. Their last in-person meeting took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand in 2022. In 2019, PM Modi conferred the highest Russian state honor, ‘Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First.’
This is PM Narendra Modi’s first visit to Russia since the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv started in 2022. After concluding his visit to Russia, PM Modi will depart for Austria in what is the first visit to the nation by an Indian Prime Minister in 40 years.
