Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India for a major summit, marking his first trip since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022. India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, speaking from Moscow on August 7, indicated that the visit would be a watershed moment for the strategic partnership, with summit dates reportedly nearing finalization. During Putin’s last visit in 2021, India and Russia had struck significant trade and arms deals, and the two leaders have since met several times at international forums—including their last meeting at the 16th BRICS Summit in October 2024. The fresh confirmation of Putin’s visit came at a tense moment, as the U.S. under President Trump imposed steep tariffs on India for maintaining energy ties with Russia, moves that New Delhi denounced as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.”