New Delhi: Russia has extended a formal invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Victory Day celebrations on May 9, marking 80 years since Soviet Russia’s triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II. The high-profile event will take place in Moscow’s Red Square, and the Kremlin is hopeful about PM Modi’s participation.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, Andrey Rudenko, confirmed the invitation and shared that preparations for the Indian Prime Minister’s visit are underway. “It’s being worked out; it should be this year. He has an invitation,” Rudenko was quoted as saying by Russian news agency TASS.
The invitation to PM Modi comes amid Russia’s outreach to several “friendly nations” to join the commemoration. Victory Day is observed to honour the Soviet Army’s historic offensive in January 1945 against Nazi Germany, culminating in Germany’s unconditional surrender on May 9 of that year.
PM Modi last visited Russia in July 2024, marking his first overseas trip in nearly five years. During that visit, he held wide-ranging talks with President Vladimir Putin and extended an invitation to the Russian leader to visit India. The Kremlin accepted the invite, though dates are yet to be finalised.
Commenting on President Putin’s expected visit, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have with Russia an arrangement of annual summits. The last annual summit was held in Moscow, for which the Prime Minister travelled to Moscow. The next one is scheduled to be held in India next year, and the dates for the same will be worked out through diplomatic channels.”
