A rare welcome: PM Modi receives Russian President Putin, takes him to Lok Kalyan Marg | Watch
Modi will host a private dinner for Putin, providing an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss key issues away from the public glare.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday evening after the latter landed in New Delhi for a high-profile state visit focussed on strengthening the whole gamut of bilateral ties.
Modi will host a private dinner for Putin shortly providing an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss key issues away from the public glare.
On December 5, Putin will be given a ceremonial welcome and a tri-services guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan, before he goes to Raj Ghat to pay homage at the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. This will be followed by talks between the two leaders in a restricted format and with their delegations at Hyderabad House, the stately building used for meetings between the PM and foreign leaders.
Following the finalisation of several agreements focused on cooperation in areas such as trade, economy, agriculture and academia, the two leaders will participate in a business event jointly organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Roscongress at Bharat Mandapam. The people said this event is crucial for ongoing efforts to diversify and broaden the trade basket between the two countries, especially at a time when trade is skewed in Russia’s favour.
While two-way trade was worth about $68 billion last year, largely on the back of purchases of Russian oil, India’s exports accounted for less than $5 billion. Ahead of the summit, officials from both sides said expanding trade and ensuring greater access for Indian goods to Russian markets will be one of the focus areas of the discussions.
