Putin to Visit India for Annual Summit as New Delhi Prepares for High-Stakes Talks on Defence, Energy and Geopolitics

Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to New Delhi on December 4 and 5 for the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit, marking his first meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi since their interaction at the SCO Summit in Tianjin earlier this year. The visit holds high diplomatic significance for Moscow, especially after Putin skipped the recent G20 meeting in South Africa due to the outstanding ICC arrest warrant. India, not being a signatory to the Rome Statute, faces no legal barriers in hosting the Russian leader.

Confirming the schedule, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “During the visit, President Putin will hold talks with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Hon’ble Rashtrapatiji will also receive President Putin and host a banquet in his honour.” The MEA added that the visit would allow both nations to “review progress in bilateral relations, set the vision for strengthening the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,’ and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.”

The Kremlin, in its statement, echoed the same, noting that all dimensions of the “special and privileged partnership” will be on the table. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow earlier this month, also confirmed that new bilateral initiatives and agreements are in the final stages. “We look forward to their (project) finalisation in the coming days. These will certainly add more substance and texture to our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,” Jaishankar told Lavrov.

The two sides are also expected to deliberate on several global hotspots. As Jaishankar indicated, discussions will encompass the “complex global situation,” including the “Ukraine conflict, as also the Middle East and Afghanistan, amongst others.” A detailed joint statement is expected after the summit.

Major Defence Deals on the Agenda

Defence cooperation is poised to be one of the most critical elements of the talks. India is reportedly evaluating a proposal to acquire up to three squadrons of Russia’s advanced fifth-generation Sukhoi-57 fighter jets. Meanwhile, the United States continues its push to sell the F-35 stealth fighters to India. Earlier this year, former US President Donald Trump said, “Starting this year, we will be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We are also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters.” However, Indian defence officials have clarified that no formal F-35 discussions have taken place so far.

India’s pending S-400 Triumf air defense systems will also likely be reviewed. Of the five contracted squadrons, only three have been delivered due to delays linked to the Ukraine war. Moscow maintains that the remaining two will be supplied by November 2026.

Oil Trade and Energy Security in Focus

Energy security will be another key theme, with New Delhi and Moscow expected to address fluctuations in India’s crude imports from Russia. According to Kpler data, India imported 1.65 million bpd of Russian oil in October and is projected to receive 1.87 million bpd in November. Though these numbers remain high, analysts say private refineries may increasingly rely on mixed oil sourced through complex trade routes and Russia’s “shadow fleet.”

Sumit Ritolia of Kpler pointed out that Russia supplies more than one-third of India’s oil needs and cannot be phased out easily. He noted the likelihood of “increased use of mixed oil” and shipments routed through non-sanctioned channels.

Energy expert and former diplomat Talmiz Ahmad also emphasised the geopolitical realities, stating, “There is no way that Russian oil can be taken out of the market. There would be a global energy crisis, which the US is well aware of. This is posturing by Trump.” He further added that while India is exploring alternative suppliers, none offer discounts comparable to Moscow’s. “Russia is giving $6 per barrel below the global oil benchmark price and the recent sanctions by the US on Russian state oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil (which took effect from November 21) will persuade Russia to keep giving those discounts to India.”