The North News
New Delhi, August 7
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval has confirmed that President Vladimir Putin will soon visit India, calling the trip a moment of “delight” and an opportunity to inject fresh direction into the Indo-Russian strategic partnership.
During a meeting with Russian Security Council chief Sergei Shoigu, Doval said the dates for the Russian President’s visit are “almost finalised,” expressing optimism about the summit’s potential to produce “meaningful results.” “We were pleased to know about President Putin’s visit to our country. I think the dates are almost finalised now,” Doval told Shoigu at the start of their dialogue.
Doval underscored the importance of the upcoming summit, describing it as a “partition point” for the bilateral relationship, a term suggesting a pivotal moment of change. “These summit meetings have always been turning points. They have always given new direction to our relationship. What matters now is what substance we can add in terms of meaningful results,” Doval said.
He expressed hope that the summit would yield “new ideas” and “set the tone for the season ahead.”
“The Prime Minister has specially asked me to convey his deep thanks to President Putin for the support Russia gave when India was attacked on April 22,” he said. Doval noted that the 25th session of the Indo-Russian Development Dialogue—covering trade, science, technology, and culture—had been a “great success,” bringing forth new proposals while acknowledging that several issues remained unresolved.
Turning to broader international affairs, he described the global environment as “tumultuous” and “unpredictable,” and said such conditions made the India-Russia “strategic and privileged partnership” even more vital. “I would like to hear your overall perception of the global situation and how Russia is viewing the current conflicts and issues. We exchange our thoughts regularly, but your insights are always valuable,” Doval told Shoigu.
