New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit India in December 2025 for the annual bilateral summit, at a time when India-Russia relations continue to deepen despite growing Western pressure over Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.
The announcement was made on Friday by Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, who confirmed that preparations for the December visit will be discussed during an upcoming meeting between Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in China’s Tianjin city on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.
Putin-Modi Meeting in Tianjin Before December Summit
“Right after the SCO Plus meeting on September 1, our president will meet Indian Prime Minister Modi,” Ushakov told journalists.
“What is especially important is that preparations will be discussed for the upcoming visit of our president to India in December.”
He added that the Tianjin talks would mark the first in-person meeting between Modi and Putin in 2025, though the two leaders have stayed in regular contact over the phone.
Special Strategic Partnership: 15 Years
Putin’s December visit will coincide with the 15th anniversary of the India-Russia ‘special strategic partnership’ established in 2010.
Modi had travelled to Russia twice last year — once for the annual summit with Putin and again to attend the BRICS Summit in Kazan. Russia remains one of India’s largest defense suppliers and a key partner in energy trade.
Backdrop: US Tariffs and Ukraine War
The announcement comes just days after US President Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, targeting New Delhi’s continued purchase of discounted Russian crude oil.
Since the start of Moscow’s Ukraine offensive in 2022, Russia has redirected much of its energy exports from Europe to Asian markets like India and China, ensuring billions in revenue despite Western sanctions.
India has defended its imports, saying it had to diversify because “traditional suppliers redirected shipments to Europe after the conflict began.”
Putin’s Limited Travel and ICC Warrant
Putin has significantly restricted foreign travel since the Ukraine war, especially after being issued an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant. However, India is not a signatory to the ICC and is therefore not obligated to detain the Russian president.
This makes the upcoming Putin visit to India in December 2025 highly significant, both diplomatically and geopolitically.
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