Indian prime minister arrives in Russia on his first visit since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Moscow on Monday on a two-day visit, his first since Russia sent troops into Ukraine, an action that has complicated the relationship between the longtime partners and pushed Russia closer to India’s rival, China.

Modi is set to have dinner with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, to be followed by talks. Modi last traveled to Russia in 2019, when he attended a forum in the far eastern port of Vladivostok and met with Putin. The leaders also saw each other in September 2022 in Uzbekistan, at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization bloc.

Russia has had strong ties with India since the Cold War, and New Delhi’s importance as a key trading partner for Moscow has grown since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. China and India have become key buyers of Russian oil following sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies that shut most Western markets off to Russian exports.

Under Modi’s leadership, India has avoided condemning Russia’s military action in Ukraine while emphasizing the need for a peaceful settlement.