PM Modi and Russian president Vladimir Putin are expected to review bilateral defence cooperation in the wake of the US sanctions against Russian defence majors. (Photo: Twitter | @narendramodi)

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on Thursday on a two-day visit to hold the annual bilateral summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Putin, who is accompanied by a high-level delegation, was received by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

"Long standing and time-tested friendship. Upon his arrival in India for the #IndiaRussia Annual Bilateral Summit, @KremlinRussia_E Vladimir Putin was warmly received by EAM @SushmaSwaraj #DruzbaDosti," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and welcomed President Putin to India and said, "Looking forward to our deliberations, which will further enhance India-Russia friendship."

PM Modi tweeted the same in Russian.

The 19th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit will take place in Delhi on Friday during which PM Modi and Russian president Vladimir Putin are expected to review bilateral defence cooperation in the wake of the US sanctions against Russian defence majors.

The two leaders are also likely to deliberate on key regional and global issues, including US sanctions on import of Iranian crude oil.

The focus during the visit will be on the S-400 Triumf air defence missile system agreement, with a top Kremlin aide saying Tuesday that Russian President Putin will oversee the signing of the USD 5 billion deal. </s> This story is from October 4, 2018

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj receives Russian President Vladimir Putin

NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived here on Thursday on a two-day visit to hold the annual bilateral summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi . Putin, who is accompanied by a high-level delegation, was received by External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj The 19th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit will take place here on Friday during which Modi and Putin are expected to review bilateral defence cooperation in the wake of the US sanctions against Russian defence majors.The two leaders are also likely to deliberate on key regional and global issues, including US sanctions on import of Iranian crude oil.The focus during the visit will be on the S-400 Triumf air defence missile system agreement, with a top Kremlin aide saying Tuesday that Russian President Putin will oversee the signing of the $5 billion deal. </s> The S-400 Triumph air defence system integrates a multifunction radar, autonomous detection and targeting systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, launchers, and command and control centre.

With the signing of this deal, India is now at risk of sanctions from the US under the contentious CAATSA act. The US has threatened countries with sanction s if they deal with with Russia in defence matters.

[S-400 missile deal: Will India be granted waiver from CAATSA?]

Modi and Putin earlier today met for the 19th India-Russia annual bilateral summit during which they deliberated on a host of bilateral, regional and global issues. The summit began at Hyderabad House here this morning.

"A relationship radiating warmth and affection! PM @narendramodi welcomed @KremlinRussia_E Vladimir Putin for the 19th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit continuing the series of fruitful engagements this year!" Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted along with a picture of the two leaders at Hyderabad House.

Putin had a one-on-one meeting with the prime minister after his arrival here on Thursday evening. Modi had hosted a private dinner for the visiting dignitary. The Russian president, who leaves on Friday evening, is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov. (Image courtesy - ANI/Twitter)

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Delhi on Thursday on a two-day visit to hold the annual bilateral summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The main focus of the visit is in fact the signing of the USD 5 billion worth deal to purchase S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems from Russia which will significantly bolster India's defence capabilities. (Image - ANI/Twitter) </s> Leaders of BRICS nations (from left) Brazilian President Michel Temer, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Jacob Zuma walk past sand sculptures of famous landmarks of BRICS nations created by Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik, prior to dinner hosted by Modi in Goa, India, on Saturday (AP photo)

BENAULIM, India — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed multibillion-dollar energy and defence pacts on Saturday following talks aimed at reinvigorating ties between the traditional allies.

Modi hailed Putin as an "old friend" after their meeting in the Indian state of Goa, where leaders of the other BRICS emerging nations were also gathering for a summit.

"Your leadership has provided stability and substance to our strategic partnership," Modi said alongside Putin at a beachside resort, after officials signed up to 20 agreements between the two nations.

Modi said the pacts on jointly producing light military helicopters, building frigates and other areas of cooperation "lay the foundations for deeper defence and economic ties for years ahead".

They also signed an initial agreement on India's purchase of Russia's state-of-the-art defence system, capable of shooting down multiple incoming missiles, although there were no details on a time frame for delivery.

Putin has been seeking to seal deals with India to help revive Russia's recession-hit economy, following sliding oil prices and Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.

"I would like to stress that we intend to expand our bilateral cooperation not only in energy but also across a wide range of areas," Putin said.

The announced energy deals include Russian oil giant Rosneft's decision to buy almost the entire stake in India's Essar Oil for almost $13 billion.

Essar said the deal involving a group led by Rosneft was the largest single foreign direct investment in India.

The leaders also signed an agreement to supply more units to a nuclear plant in Kudankulam in southern India to meet the fast-growing economy's thirst for electricity and to reduce its reliance on dirty coal.

Modi also held talks with China's President Xi Jinping late Saturday, in the hope of boosting investment and trade. Relations, however, have been frustrated by Beijing's decision so far to block New Delhi's entry to a nuclear trade group, among other issues.

China and India, the world's two most populous nations, are jockeying for regional influence in Asia.

Modi will host a dinner for the leaders of the BRICS club — which also includes South Africa and Brazil — ahead of talks on Sunday.

BRICS was formed in 2011 with the aim of using its growing economic and political influence to challenge Western hegemony. </s> Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to sign lucrative energy and defence deals Saturday, aimed at shoring up economic ties between the long-time allies.

Putin was greeted with a military band and traditional dancers after arriving in the Indian tourism state of Goa for talks with Modi ahead of a BRICS summit.

Other heads of the BRICS club of leading emerging nations — Brazil, China and South Africa — were also gathering for this weekend’s summit that is expected to focus on trade and counter-terrorism.

Putin is seeking to seal deals with India in an attempt to help revive Russia’s recession-hit economy, following sliding oil prices and Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.

Among the agreements expected are Moscow’s delivery of its most advanced anti-aircraft defence system to India, a deal that has been in the pipeline for several years.

India, the world’s top defence importer, is undergoing a $100-billion upgrade of its Soviet-era military, as it looks to protect its borders from arch-rival Pakistan and an increasingly assertive China.

But India has increasingly turned to the United States, rather than Russia for its hardware in recent years, as Modi cultivates closer ties with the Washington.

Nevertheless, India’s ambassador to Russia, Pankaj Saran, hailed the “special and privileged” partnership between the two nations.

“It is very deep and very intense and it is poised to grow even further,” Saran told reporters before the talks got underway.

The leaders are also focusing on energy deals to meet India’s growing thirst for fuel and electricity for its fast-growing economy.

Russia’s biggest oil company Rosneft is expected to acquire India’s Essar Oil in a multi-billion-dollar deal, according to local media reports, quoting officials involved in the agreement.

The leaders are also expected to sign a framework agreement to supply two more reactors to a nuclear plant in Kudankulam in southern India.

Saran said they would also likely discuss India’s tensions with neighbour Pakistan, which spiked after last month’s attack on an Indian army base that killed 19 soldiers.

Modi has sought to isolate Pakistan internationally since the attack that India blamed on Pakistan-based militants.

India said it subsequently carried out strikes against militants over the border in Pakistan, prompting a furious response from Islamabad.

But Putin is seen as unlikely to weigh into the dispute between the rivals, as Moscow also eyes closer defence ties with Islamabad. Russia and Pakistan carried out their first joint military exercise last month.

In beachside Goa, the two leaders will reach agreement on Moscow’s delivery of the S-400 Triumph defence system, Russian news agencies have quoted a Putin aide as saying, without detailing a timeframe.

The S-400 is Russia’s most modern air defence system and has been deployed to Syria, where Moscow is conducting a bombing campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

The strong ties between India and Russia date back to the 1950s after the death of Stalin. But trade has slipped from just $10 billion in 2014, which both sides have said is not good enough.

Modi will also hold talks with China’s President Xi Jinping late Saturday, in the hope of boosting investment and trade, but with relations frustrated by Beijing’s decision so far to block New Delhi’s entry to a nuclear trade group, among other issues.

China and India, the world’s two most populous nations, are jockeying for regional influence in Asia.

Modi will also host a dinner for the BRICS leaders, ahead of the summmit talks starting on Sunday at a plush beachside resort.

BRICS was formed in 2011 with the aim of using its growing economic and political influence to challenge Western hegemony. </s> MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th June, 2019) Indian businessmen and the heads of the country's states intend to visit Russia's Far East ahead of the 5th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), scheduled to take place in the Russian Far Eastern city of Vladivostok from September 4-6, the press service of Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev said in a statement on Thursday following his talks with Indian Ambassador to Russia Bala Venkatesh Varma.

"Venkatesh Varma stated the readiness of the businessmen and the heads of Indian states to visit Russia's Far East ahead of the Eastern Economic Forum. He asked for assistance in arranging the meetings of the Indian delegations with the Far East governors and representatives of the Russian business community. Yury Trutnev, in turn, confirmed the readiness of the Russian side to facilitate the arrangement of such visits," the statement said.

Trutnev believes that the Indian track is likely to become one of the main ones at the EEF-2019, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi being among the event's participants, the statement added.

According to the Russian deputy prime minister, many Indian businesses and entrepreneurs expressed interest in investing in Russia's Far East at a meeting with him in Mumbai last week.

This year's EEF is expected to focus on the national program for the Far East's development. The first EEF was held in 2015 at Russian President Vladimir Putin's initiative. The forum is aimed at encouraging national and international investments in Russia's Far East and boosting wider cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region. </s> PM Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin may meet in September or October in India </s> The following content is sourced from external partners. We cannot guarantee that it is suitable for the visually or hearing impaired.

This content was published on October 5, 2018 11:30 AM

Russian President Vladimir Putin and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend a presentation of a joint statement after their delegation level talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, October 5, 2018. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India agreed a deal with Russia to buy S-400 surface to air missile systems on Friday, the Kremlin said, as New Delhi disregarded U.S. warnings that such a purchase could trigger sanctions under U.S. law.

Although there was no public signing, the deal was sealed during President Vladimir Putin's ongoing visit to New Delhi for an annual summit.

"The deal was signed on the fringes of the summit,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters. The contract is estimated to be worth more than $5 billion and gives the Indian military the ability to shoot down aircraft and missiles at unprecedented ranges.

But the United States has said countries trading with Russia's defence and intelligence sectors would face automatic sanctions under a sweeping legislation called Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

A State Department spokesperson said this week that the implementation of the sanctions act would be focused at countries acquiring weapons such as the S-400 missile batteries.

Last month, the United States imposed sanctions on China's military for its purchase of combat fighters as well as the S-400 missile system it bought from Russia this year.

India is hoping that President Donald Trump's administration will give it a waiver on the weapons systems which New Delhi sees as a deterrent against China's bigger and superior military.

After summit talks between Putin and Modi, the two countries signed eight agreements covering space, nuclear energy and railways at a televised news conference. </s> MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a rare visit in Russia's Far East.

Abe has been pushing for progress in the dispute over the Russian-held islands, called the Northern Territories in Japan and the southern Kurils in Russia. The row has kept the two countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their WWII hostilities. Abe wants to arrange Putin's visit to Japan later this year.

Putin on Friday hosted Abe in the Pacific port of Vladivostok, telling the Japanese prime minister in televised remarks that Moscow is willing to build on the progress in talks that the two leaders last held in Russia's Sochi in May.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in India for a summit meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.