President Putin’s India visit dates to be finalised ‘early next year’: Kremlin aide

“We have received Mr. Modi's invitation and we will certainly consider it positively,” Yury Ushanov, Moscow's former envoy to the United States, said.

The dates for Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India are expected to be announced early next year, a senior Kremlin aide announced on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of Brics Summit at Kazan City Hall in Kazan, Russia. (AP)

The statement by Yury Ushakov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy advisor was made during a briefing, as per the Russian embassy in India.

Ushanov, Moscow's former envoy to the United States, said, “Our (Russian and Indian) leaders have an agreement to hold meetings once a year. This time, it's our turn. We have received Mr. Modi's invitation and we will certainly consider it positively.”

“We will figure out the tentative dates early next year,” he added.

Putin's visit to India would be his first to the fellow BRICS nation since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022. He faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged “war crimes” in Ukraine.

The warrant means that the Russian leader would be arrested if he visits an ICC member state. However, Russia and India are among several countries which are not members of the international court.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been to Russia twice this year. In July, PM Modi was in Moscow for the 22nd Russia-India Summit, his first bilateral visit since winning a third consecutive term in June. The prime minister was conferred with “The Order of St. Andrew the Apostle,” Russia's highest civilian award.

In October, he attended the annual BRICS Summit in Kazan.

India has repeatedly abstained from voting against Russia on Ukraine-related resolutions in the United Nations. It has also been criticised by the West for purchasing cheap oil from Russia despite Moscow being the “aggressor” in the war in Ukraine.

(With ANI inputs)