PM Modi to skip Russia’s Victory Day parade, Rajnath Singh likely to visit Moscow for May 9 event

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to attend Russia’s Victory Day parade on May 9, which marks 80 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited to the event, but is unlikely to visit Russia, according to news agency ANI.

In December last year, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Russia for the commissioning of INS Tushil in Kaliningrad. During the trip, he also paid tribute at the ‘Tomb of the Unknown Soldier’ in Moscow to honour Soviet soldiers who died in World War II, and met members of the Indian community.

Moscow invites PM Modi

Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told the state-run Tass news agency that Moscow had invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the May 9 parade. He said the invitation had been sent and the visit was being discussed.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that Prime Minister Modi was invited to Russia’s Victory Day celebrations and said, “We will announce our participation at the appropriate time.”

PM Modi’s Russia visits

Last July, Prime Minister Modi travelled to Moscow for the 22nd India-Russia summit—his first visit to Russia in almost five years. Before that, he had visited Vladivostok in 2019 for an economic forum.

In October, he was in Kazan to attend the BRICS summit. During his most recent trip, Modi invited President Vladimir Putin to visit India.