MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will discuss all aspects of their countries’ “privileged strategic partnership” when Putin visits New Delhi next week, the Kremlin said on Friday.

During his state visit on Dec 4 and 5, Putin will hold talks with Modi and have a separate meeting with President Droupadi Murmu, the Kremlin said, saying a number of unspecified inter-governmental and commercial documents would be signed.

India, a major buyer of Russian oil, has also bought its weapons for decades, though a top defence official said the country had bought US arms worth nearly $30 billion in the past decade and aims to produce more of its own equipment.

“They (the Russians) have been our friends through both fair and foul weather, and we are not going to sort of stop our defence cooperation with them anytime soon, but I do want to stress that India follows a policy of strategic autonomy,” Indian defence secretary said.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2025