PM Modi arrives in Moscow, to hold talks with Russian President Putin

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived in Moscow for a two-day visit, where he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and hold talks with him over a range of issues. This is PM Modi’s first visit to Russia in nearly five years.

PM Modi, who boarded a flight from Delhi at 10.30 am today, arrived at the Vnukovo-II International Airport in Moscow at 5.10 pm. He was received by First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Denis Manturov and was given a guard of honour.

Notably, Manturov is senior to the Deputy Prime Minister, who received Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Russia. In a rare gesture, Manturov also accompanied the PM to the hotel from the airport in the same car.

Later, PM Modi reached the hotel where he was greeted by the Indian community in Russia.

After Moscow, PM Modi will travel to Austria on July 9 and 10. This will be PM Modi’s first visit to Austria and will also mark the first trip by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in 41 years, after Indira Gandhi in 1983.

Before his departure, PM Modi said his upcoming visits to Russia and Austria would present an opportunity for India to boost relations between both countries. He described that India shared a time-tested friendship with both countries.

The Prime Minister also said he looked forward to interacting with the Indian community living in these countries.

Speaking about his visit to Russia, the Prime Minister said, “The special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia has advanced over the past ten years, including in the areas of energy, security, trade, investment, health, education, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.”

“I look forward to reviewing all aspects of bilateral cooperation with my friend President Vladimir Putin and sharing perspectives on various regional and global issues. We seek to play a supportive role in a peaceful and stable region. The visit will also provide me with an opportunity to meet the vibrant Indian community in Russia,” he added.

Putin will host a private dinner for PM Modi on the day of arrival. The next day, PM Modi’s interactions would include an interaction with the Indian diaspora in Russia.

The Prime Minister will also lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Kremlin on June 9. Thereafter, he will visit the Rosatom pavilion at the exhibition venue in Moscow.

“These engagements will be followed by restricted-level talks between the two leaders, which will then be followed by delegation-level talks led by the honourable Prime Minister and the Russian President,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a media briefing held earlier this week.