Vladimir Putin to visit India soon, preparations already underway: Russian FM

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India is being planned, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov stated, "(Russian) President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to visit from the Indian head of government." "A visit by the Russian head of state to the Republic of India is currently being prepared."

"Now it’s our turn," Lavrov added, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first foreign visit to Russia following his reelection last year. The Russian foreign minister made the comments in a video address at a conference called "Russia and India: Toward a New Bilateral Agenda," which was organized by the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC).

It has not yet been decided when Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India. A visit by the Indian prime to attend the yearly military parade in Moscow's Red Square to commemorate the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II was "highly probable. On condition of anonymity, however, those with knowledge of the situation stated that although PM Modi had been invited by the Russian side, a visit was not being considered.