Moscow/New Delhi, August 8, 2025 — Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India before the end of this year, National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval confirmed during his official trip to Moscow on Thursday.
The visit will be part of the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, an event alternately hosted by both nations since its inception. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Russia in 2024, New Delhi is now set to host this year’s summit. Dates for the high-profile meeting are currently being finalised, according to Indian and Russian officials.
Doval Meets Putin and Russian Security Chief
During his visit, Doval met Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu and also called on President Putin at the Kremlin. A video released by the Kremlin press service showed the NSA shaking hands with the Russian leader and holding bilateral talks.
Sources told PTI that Doval reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Russia across all sectors, even amid growing global pressure. His visit came as US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods as a penalty for buying Russian oil, effectively raising the tariff to 50%.
Summit Preparations Underway
Doval said that both sides had agreed to proceed with Putin’s visit, with preparations now in the final stages.
“We are very excited to learn about the visit of President Putin to India… I think the dates are almost finalised. Summit-level meetings have always been watershed points for the relationship,” Doval said during his meeting with Shoigu.
Earlier speculation in Russian media suggested a mid-August visit, but Indian officials have denied that timeline.
“The dates of President Putin’s visit are being worked out. No specific date or time has been indicated by NSA in his engagements. The end-August timeline being reported is incorrect,” sources clarified.
