Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit New Delhi on December 5 2025 to participate in the plenary session of the Russia-India Forum 2025, which runs from December 4–5. This visit marks a significant milestone in the longstanding “special and privileged strategic partnership” between Russia and India, signaling both countries’ intent to strengthen economic, energy, and geopolitical ties in an evolving global environment.
The announcement of President Putin’s December visit comes amid active preparations from the Kremlin and the forum’s organisers. A Kremlin spokesperson confirmed that the visit is being actively prepared, although no full list of agreements has yet been made public. The host organiser, Roscongress, has formally stated that Putin will attend the plenary session of the Russia-India Forum on December 4–5.
From an Indian perspective, the visit is part of an effort to reaffirm and deepen bilateral cooperation with Russia despite growing external pressures—especially from the United States—over energy and trade. India has faced U.S. pressure to reduce its import of Russian oil, but New Delhi has signalled its independent energy-strategy posture, emphasising long-term ties with Moscow.
Important agenda items expected during the visit include enhanced energy cooperation, expanded trade and investment mechanisms, and a labour mobility agreement reportedly under negotiation. According to media reports, India and Russia are expected to sign a bilateral labour mobility deal aimed at providing a formal framework for Indian skilled manpower to work in Russia. Such an agreement would reflect the evolving nature of the partnership beyond traditional defence and energy domains into manpower, services, and human-capital linkages.
Geopolitically, this visit underscores Russia’s pivot toward Asia and India’s balancing act amid global power shifts. The strategic partnership between India and Russia remains one of the cornerstones of Indian foreign policy, grounded in decades of defence, scientific-technical, and energy cooperation. As global dynamics evolve—with Russia under Western sanctions and India engaging with multiple partners—the December forum provides a platform for both nations to reaffirm their mutual commitments.
President Putin’s upcoming visit to New Delhi on December 5 for the Russia-India Forum marks a timely reinforcement of bilateral ties at a moment of global flux. The key themes of energy security, trade diversification, labour mobility, and strategic alignment are set to take centre stage. For India and Russia, the forum offers a tangible opportunity to deepen cooperation in new domains and to project a resilient partnership in the face of shifting geopolitics. As the world watches, the outcomes of the December sessions may well chart the next phase of the India-Russia strategic partnership.
