Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Moscow next week for the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra announced on Friday. The two-day visit, scheduled for July 8-9, comes at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kwatra revealed that Modi will arrive in Moscow on Monday afternoon and will be welcomed with a private dinner hosted by Putin. This intimate setting will precede the formal summit discussions, highlighting the personal rapport between the two leaders.

The visit marks a continuation of high-level engagement between India and Russia. “The last annual summit was held in New Delhi in December 2021,” Kwatra said, adding that the leaders have maintained contact through various means, including a meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand last September and multiple phone conversations.

On Tuesday, Modi’s agenda includes engaging with the Indian community in Russia, a gesture that has become a hallmark of his foreign visits. He will also pay respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Kremlin and visit an exhibition in Moscow.

The core of the visit will be the bilateral talks between Modi and Putin. These discussions will begin with a restricted-level meeting between the two leaders, followed by broader delegation-level talks. “The two leaders will review the entire range of multifaceted ties between India and Russia,” Kwatra said.

This summit comes at a crucial time in global politics, with both India and Russia seeking to navigate complex international relationships. The outcomes of these talks are likely to have significant implications for bilateral relations and regional dynamics.

(Inputs from ANI)