Narendra Modi Flies to Moscow

During a brief conversation with Indian and international journalists, the Indian Prime Minister, before leaving for Moscow, recalled that “over the past ten years, the two countries have accelerated the development of a strategic, special, and privileged partnership,” recording significant progress in a number of sectors, ranging from energy, defense and security, trade, investment, health, education, culture, and tourism. According to Modi, during the summit, he and Putin will exchange views on the current situation and prospects of development in different regions of the world: “We are trying to play a supporting role for a peaceful and stable region,” the Indian prime minister emphasized, without directly mentioning Ukraine or Israel, which has privileged relations with New Delhi.

After arriving in the Russian capital, Modi will take part in a “private” dinner with Putin, during which the two leaders will have an informal private chat.

On Tuesday morning, Modi will meet representatives of the Indian community in Russia, lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Kremlin walls, then visit the exhibition of Russia’s state-run nuclear energy agency Rosatom.

This will be followed by another conversation in the Kremlin between Modi and Putin in a “closed-door format,” after which large delegations from Russia and India led by Putin and Modi will hold talks as part of the 22nd India-Russia summit. A package of bilateral documents is expected to be signed on the sidelines of the summit, including the agreement on the development of military logistics between the Russian Far East and the Indian port of Chennai (formerly Madras).

An article published by Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post newspaper emphasized that “Modi’s visit to Moscow clearly indicates the two countries’ intention to accelerate the development of strategic cooperation.”

“The Putin and Modi summit will certainly go much further than the usual bilateral meeting. Modi’s visit to Moscow symbolizes the culmination of many decades of mutual trust, strategic cooperation, and common interests,” the Hong Kong newspaper stressed, according to which “New Delhi is keen to strengthen cooperation with both Russia and the West to preserve its strategic autonomy and energy security.” In this context, the balance between the great powers will shape India’s foreign policy in the coming years.

After his trip to Russia, Modi will travel to Austria where he will meet President Alexander van der Bellen and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer. “We will try to take the partnership between India and Austria to an even higher level in the new and emerging areas of innovation, technology and sustainable development,” Modi said, noting that he is the first Indian prime minister to visit Austria in over 40 years. Modi said he was also willing to interact, along with the Austrian Chancellor, with business leaders from the two countries to assess mutually beneficial trade and investment opportunities.