Kremlin says Putin to hold state visit to India on Dec. 4-5

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will conduct a state visit to India on Dec. 4-5, the Kremlin announced on Friday.

A corresponding statement said Putin will be visiting India at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, terming the trip as “significant, providing an opportunity to comprehensively discuss the entire agenda of Russian-Indian relations.”

The statement defined Russian-Indian ties as a “special, privileged strategic partnership,” saying the talks between Putin and Modi will touch upon current international and regional issues. Putin will also meet his Indian counterpart Droupadi Murmu.

“The talks are expected to result in the adoption of a joint statement and the signing of a number of bilateral interagency and commercial documents,” the statement added.

The visit was first announced by Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in August. He was quoted as saying by TASS at a meeting with Russian Security Council chief Sergey Shoygu that Putin will visit the country "at the end of the year."

Putin also received Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Moscow on Nov. 18, who arrived in the Russian capital to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting.