Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Russia on Monday, embarking on the first part of his two-nation tour. Upon arrival in Russia, he is scheduled to have a series of meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he considers a "friend," on Tuesday. Following these engagements, PM Modi will proceed to Austria on July 9. This visit marks the Prime Minister's first trip to Russia since the onset of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that has strained the historically strong ties between the two countries. Throughout the war, India, under PM Modi's leadership, has refrained from condemning Russia's actions, instead advocating for a peaceful resolution.
Ahead of his visit, the Prime Minister hailed the relations between the two nations and dubbed it "special" and "privileged". According to the Prime Minister, the relations have advanced in the past 10 years. PM Modi emphasised that he is looking forward to reviewing all aspects of bilateral cooperation with "his friend" Putin. However, the statement from the Prime Minister did not specifically mention whether he would take up the issue of Indians forced to work in the Russian Army. However, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra, during a special press briefing, mentioned that the issue of Indians in the war zone will be among the Prime Minister's top priorities.
The Prime Minister, with his team, will departed for Moscow at 10.55 am on Monday and arrive at the Vnukovo-II International Airport at 5.20 pm the same day. 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.