New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Friday hosted her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at Rashtrapati Bhavan, marking what she described as an important moment in the 25-year journey of the India-Russia Strategic Partnership.
Putin, who arrived with his delegation for the annual summit-level engagements, was welcomed at a banquet where President Murmu underlined the “steadfast” nature of the relationship and said it would “continue to prosper for many years to come”.
The Indian President noted that Putin’s visit coincides with the silver jubilee of the strategic partnership that India and Russia established during his first trip to New Delhi as President in October 2000, later elevated in 2010 to a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
President Murmu thanked Vladimir Putin for his “consistent support and personal commitment” to the relationship, saying the partnership has been anchored in shared goals of peace, stability, and mutual socio-economic and technological progress. She said 2025 had been a particularly productive year across a wide range of areas — high-level political exchanges, trade, defence, civil nuclear cooperation, space, science and technology, education, culture, and people-to-people engagement.
She added that the Joint Statement issued at the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit captures the depth of the partnership and lays out a broad roadmap for the future.
In her address, President Murmu also spoke of the long civilisational links between the two countries — from early travellers and trade exchanges to the well-known correspondence between Mahatma Gandhi and Leo Tolstoy — noting that both societies have cherished each other’s cultural, literary and artistic traditions.
Both leaders expressed confidence that the partnership — rooted in decades of political trust and deep public goodwill — will continue to gain strength in the years ahead.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who arrived in India on a two-day visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday.
President Droupadi Murmu and President Putin introduced each other to the dignitaries from each other’s country at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Murmu welcomed President Putin at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Putin commenced his state visit to India on Thursday evening and was given a warm welcome by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who received him at the airport and accompanied him from the tarmac in the same vehicle.
(IANS)
