Indian PM Modi visits Russia's Putin in Moscow

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Moscow overnight for a two-day visit — his first since Russia sent troops into Ukraine, complicating the relationship between the longtime partners and pushing Russia closer to India's rival, China.

Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin at his residence outside Moscow, to be followed by talks at the Kremlin overnight tonight.

Modi last travelled to Russia in 2019, when he attended a forum in the far eastern port of Vladivostok and met with Putin.

The leaders also saw each other in September 2022 in Uzbekistan, at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation bloc.

Modi posted photos of his arrival in Moscow on the social media platform X, in both Russian and English, saying he was "looking forward to further deepening the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between our nations".

"Stronger ties between our nations will greatly benefit our people," he wrote, also sharing a picture of himself and Putin hugging.

Later, the two leaders were pictured in videos shared by the Kremlin at Putin's residence, Novo-Ogaryovo, near Moscow.

Putin drove Modi around the grounds in a buggy and showed him his stable with horses. According to state news agencies, the two had earlier watched a horse show with performers in national Russian dress.

Modi thanked Putin on X for hosting him at Novo-Ogaryovo and said he was looking forward to tonight's talks which he hoped will "go a long way in further cementing the bonds of friendship between India and Russia".

Russia has had strong ties with India since the Cold War, and New Delhi's importance as a key trading partner has grown since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

China and India have become key buyers of Russian oil following sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies that shut most Western markets off to Russian exports. India now gets more than 40% of its oil imports from Russia, according to analysts.

Under Modi's leadership, India has avoided condemning Russia's military action in Ukraine while emphasising the need for a peaceful settlement.

The partnership between Moscow and New Delhi has become fraught, however, as Russia has moved closer to China.

Modi notably stayed away from last week's summit in Kazakhstan of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a security grouping founded by Moscow and Beijing.

Chietigj Bajpaee, senior South Asia research fellow at the UK-based Chatham House, said India is increasingly estranged from forums in which Russia and China play a prominent role.

"This is evident in India's relatively low-key presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation last year, and now the decision by Modi not to attend this year's summit," Bajpaee said.

A confrontation in June 2020 along the disputed China-India border dramatically altered their already touchy relationship as rival troops fought with rocks, clubs and fists. At least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers were killed.

Tensions have persisted despite talks — and have seeped into how New Delhi looks at Moscow.

But Modi is expected to seek to continue close relations with Russia, which is also a major defence supplier for India.

With Moscow's arms industries mostly serving the Russian military in Ukraine, India has been diversifying its defence procurements, buying more from the US, Israel, France and Italy.

"Defence cooperation will clearly be a priority area," Bajpaee said, adding that 60% of India's military equipment and systems is "still of Russian origin".

"We've seen some delay in the deliveries of spare parts ... following the Russian invasion of Ukraine," he said. "I believe both countries are due to conclude a military logistics agreement, which would pave the way for more defence exchanges."

Following an arrest warrant issued last year by the International Criminal Court for his actions in Ukraine, Putin's foreign travel has been sparse, so Modi's trip could help the Russian leader boost his clout.

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