Putin To Visit India In December, Strategic Importance To Increase Amid Tariff Tensions

• By Thetripurapost Desk, New Delhi
• Aug 30, 2025
• 543

Russian President Vladimir Putin to be on official visit in India in December, which will be his first visit to India since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. 

This visit is proposed at a time when US President Donald Trump has increased tariffs on India by up to 50% for continuing to buy oil from Russia.

News agency AFP quoted Kremlin officials as saying that Putin had accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's invitation in May, but the date could not be decided. Now this visit is likely to take place in December. 

PM Modi and Putin will meet before this on September 1 at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China.

This visit of Putin to India will be his first since the start of the Russia -Ukraine war in 2022. Therefore, it is being considered important in view of the changing global equations.

Trump recently imposed an additional 25% tariff on India, taking the total tariff to 50%. The US has accused India of indirectly funding the Ukraine war by buying crude oil from Russia. India has called these allegations and tariffs unfair and double standards. The government clarified that oil purchases are completely market-based and national interests are paramount in this. India also said that many big countries, including Europe, are still trading with Russia. Russia also called the US move unfair and said that if Indian goods do not go to the US, their demand will increase in Russia.

Energy, defence and economic cooperation will be prominent on the agenda of this visit to be held in December. 

Russia is India's biggest defence partner and the relations between the two countries have been very close since the Soviet era. 

Experts believe that this visit will further deepen the India-Russia strategic partnership and give it a new direction in the changing international scenario.