 "Russian President Vladimir Putin is welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon arrival in New Delhi. Reuters")
All eyes were at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on Thursday evening (December 4), as Russian President Vladimir Putin landed for his two-day State visit to India.
The Russian leader’s visit began on a high note when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a very significant gesture, welcomed him at the tarmac with a hug and handshake. The two leaders, who share close ties, then proceeded towards the PM’s official residence, 7, Lok Kalyan Marg for a dinner.
Interestingly, Modi and Putin travelled in the same car together — giving us a déjà vu from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meet in September when the two rode together in the Russian leader’s car.
- For more on Putin’s visit to India, click here
In case, you missed out on what happened on Day 1 of Putin’s visit, here’s a recap of the big moments of the evening.
Modi’s hug diplomacy at airport
Before Putin’s plane landed in Delhi, it was the most tracked plane in the world as per Flightradar24. And when it landed in the Indian capital, PM Modi was present to welcome his ‘friend’ Vladimir Putin.
Modi received Putin with a warm embrace and a handshake. Notably, Modi’s presence at the airport is significant. He has broken protocol and received a world leader only in few instances — he has received only six world leaders at the airport, including then US President Barack Obama in 2015.
Modi even posted on X, “Delighted to welcome my friend, President Putin to India. Looking forward to our interactions later this evening and tomorrow. India-Russia friendship is a time tested one that has greatly benefitted our people.”
Notably, this is President Putin’s first visit to India since 2021, a little before the war in Ukraine began.
A carpool moment
After welcoming Putin at the airport, the two leaders travelled together in the same car as they came out of the airport in Delhi. This scene was reminiscent of what happened in China in September when the two had carpooled together.
For those who can’t remember, Modi and Putin travelled in the same vehicle to the destination of their bilateral meeting after participating at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit venue in China’s Tianjin in September.
Notably, in Delhi, the two travelled in a white Toyota Fortuner, with Putin’s vehicle the Aurus Senat , following behind.
PM Modi also shared images of him travelling with Russian President Vladimir Putin from New Delhi’s Palam airport to the PM’s Lok Kalyan Marg residence.
A private dinner and a special gift
The evening was capped with both leaders having a private dinner at Modi’s official residence. This move is a reciprocal gesture to the hospitality extended to the prime minister by Putin during his visit to Moscow in July last year. Modi’s official residence was decorated with bright lights and flowers on the occasion.
It is still not known what Modi and Putin ate at the dinner.
Following their friendly and informal dinner, PM Modi gifted President Putin a copy of the Bhagavad Gita in Russian. “Presented a copy of the Gita in Russian to President Putin. The teachings of the Gita give inspiration to millions across the world,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
A jam-packed Day 2 for Putin
Today (December 5) will be a busy day for Russian President Putin . He will be accorded a ceremonial welcome and a tri-services guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan, before he goes to Rajghat to pay homage at the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.
It will be followed by talks between the two leaders in a restricted format and with their delegations at Hyderabad House, the venue for the summit. In the talks, New Delhi is expected to press for addressing the increasing trade deficit caused by India’s procurement of large volumes of Russian crude oil.
Modi and Putin will also attend a business event jointly organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Roscongress at Bharat Mandapam. In the evening, Putin will attend a state banquet to be hosted in his honour by President Droupadi Murmu. The Russian leader is expected to leave India around 9 pm on Friday.
With inputs from agencies