CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his official residence at Novo-Ogaryovo for a private engagement on Monday.
Putin will hold extensive bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.
“Around noon, Putin and Modi will start talking. We expect that there will be a private conversation, as well as Russian-Indian talks over an official breakfast, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by the state-owned TASS news agency.
PM Modi was received by the First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Denis Maturov on Monday evening. It is Modi’s first trip to Russia in five years.
During the 22nd India-Russia annual summit, Modi and Putin are expected to explore ways to further expand bilateral relations in diverse areas, including trade, energy and defence.
The Kremlin spokesperson said that no statements will be issued after the summit. “No joint communication with the media is foreseen,” he said. “But we expect an extended exchange of views at both the private and extended sessions, which will largely compensate for the lack of statements to the media,” he added.
Reportedly, Modi is expected to bring the Ukraine war to the table and convey to Putin that no solution can’t be found on the battlefield.
Prime Minister Modi will hold in-person meetings with President Putin for 8-9 hours during his nearly 24-hour stay in Russia.