Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India, with the dates for his visit likely to be finalized early next year. This announcement comes from Kremlin aides, including Yury Ushakov, who confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended an invitation during their recent meetings. The visit is anticipated to occur in early 2025 and will mark Putin's first trip to India since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022.

The visit is part of an established agreement between Russia and India for annual summits, with each leader taking turns to host. Since Modi visited Moscow in July 2024, it is now Putin's turn to visit India.

Ushakov stated that Russia is considering Modi's invitation positively and emphasized the importance of these meetings for bilateral relations.

This meeting comes at a time of significant geopolitical tension, as Putin faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) related to alleged war crimes in Ukraine. However, since neither Russia nor India are signatories to the ICC's governing treaty, there would be no legal repercussions for Putin during his visit.

Modi has visited Russia twice this year, underscoring the ongoing dialogue and cooperation between the two nations despite international scrutiny over India's relationship with Russia amidst the Ukraine conflict.

The Kremlin has indicated that further details regarding the specific dates will be communicated soon, reinforcing the commitment to maintaining strong ties between India and Russia.