Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in India for a two-day official visit that New Delhi says will centre on trade, defence co-operation and broader geopolitical issues. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally received Putin at Palam Air Force Station and accompanied him to the prime minister’s residence, a gesture Indian officials described as a sign of the long-standing bilateral relationship.

The visit comes ahead of the 23rd India–Russia annual summit scheduled for Friday, where both sides are expected to review defence procurement, energy collaboration and efforts to stabilize supply chains disrupted by global conflicts. Indian authorities have tightened security across the capital, given heightened international attention on the meeting.

This is Putin’s first trip to India since the start of the Russia–Ukraine war, adding to global interest in New Delhi’s role as one of the few countries maintaining regular dialogue with Moscow. Political observers say the discussions could also affect Canada’s large South Asian diaspora, many of whom closely follow India’s foreign policy decisions due to economic and family ties in the region.

The summit’s outcomes may shape future defence and energy markets, areas that are increasingly relevant to Canadian jurisdictions, including British Columbia and Alberta, which maintain growing links to Indo-Pacific trade and immigrant communities.