Transcript of Special briefing by MEA on the State Visit of the President of Russia to India (December 05, 2025)
India - Ministry of External Affairs
December 05, 2025
Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to this Special Press Briefing by Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri on the ongoing state visit of the President of Russia.
We also have with us our Ambassador to Russia Shri Vinay Kumar and Joint Secretary, ERS Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Shri Mayank Singh. With that, I invite Foreign Secretary to give his opening remarks.
Shri Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary: Thank you, Randhir. Good afternoon, or rather good evening now. Thank you all for being here.
As you all know, the President of the Russian Federation, H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin, is currently on a State Visit to India for the 23rd annual summit between India and Russia. He is accompanied by a high-powered delegation comprising several senior ministers and officials of the Russian Federation, and also a very large business delegation.
You would also be aware that this year we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Declaration on Strategic Partnership between India and Russia, which was established coincidentally during the first State Visit of President Vladimir Putin to India in October of the year 2000. And in 2010, 15 years ago, the relationship was elevated to the status of a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. In that sense, this visit on the 25th anniversary of the Declaration of the Strategic Partnership is indeed a very special visit.
In a very special gesture, President Putin was received on arrival yesterday evening at the airport by the Honorable Prime Minister himself. The two leaders then rode together to the Prime Minister's official residence, where the Honorable Prime Minister hosted President Putin for an informal dinner, over which there was a frank and candid exchange of views between the two leaders on a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global issues.
This morning, President Putin was accorded a ceremonial welcome and guard of honor at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, following which he visited Rajghat, where he paid floral tributes to the father of the nation. Both leaders then convened at Hyderabad House later in the morning to hold wide-ranging discussions in restricted format, followed by a lunch hosted by the Prime Minister.
The leaders thereafter jointly took part in the India-Russia Trade Forum held in Bharat Mandapam just a short while ago, with the presence of key stakeholders from the business community both in India and in Russia. The focus of the forum was on the shared ambition of both leaders to expand the economic dimension of our bilateral partnership by increasing our bilateral trade in a balanced and sustainable manner, including primarily by increasing India's exports to Russia, strengthening industrial cooperation, and forging new investment partnerships.
The outcomes of discussions during the business and sectoral discussions that have been ongoing over the last two days were presented to the two leaders this afternoon. For details on these, I would refer you to our Ministry of Commerce, which has been coordinating these events. Later on in the evening today, Honorable Rashtrapati ji will receive President Putin at Rashtrapati Bhavan, and will be hosting a state banquet in his honor.
Now, as to the focus and outcomes of the visit, both sides have adopted a Joint Statement, which you might have had an opportunity to see. The Joint Statement testifies to the India-Russia relationship as a time-tested, progressive partnership that is anchored in trust and mutual respect. It reflects the very special nature of our ties, and provides a comprehensive framework for further deepening our multifaceted bilateral partnership.
In addition to the Joint Statement, there were several agreements and MoUs that were concluded and exchanged during the visit, some of them in the presence of the leaders this morning. These include agreements on labour mobility, on maritime cooperation, health, culture, trade, media cooperation, as well as several business-to-business MoUs. I think the details of these are available on our website as well.
Economic cooperation, I would say, is the driving impulse and the most important focus of this particular visit. As I said just a while ago, expanding bilateral trade and strengthening economic cooperation requires swiftly addressing non-tariff barriers and regulatory impediments. Enhancing Indian exports to Russia in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, marine products, and textiles is important to correct the trade imbalance. Each one of these sectors, in considerable detail, was discussed between the two leaders today, with both of them pointing to the opportunities that existed in these areas and what were the steps, that were needed, that could be taken by both sides in order to move towards the mutually shared objective of increasing trade in these areas.
Agreements in mobility, as I said, and these are two agreements in particular. The agreement on temporary labour activity in both states; and the agreement on cooperation in combating irregular migration. They form a centerpiece of the understandings reached during the ongoing visit. Indian skilled workers, especially in IT, in construction, and in engineering, will help meet Russia's labour needs and deepen our bilateral cooperation. In fact, there is increasing interest among Russian businesses and industries to hire skilled manpower from India to support growing economic activities in Russia.
The India-Russia trade forum that concluded just a short while ago, which the leaders attended today, thus becomes a very key element of the visit. You would have followed that. Both the leaders gave a joint call for action to their respective businesses to expand the linkages between them.
In this context, I would like to point to another very significant outcome of this particular visit, which is the program of economic cooperation going up to 2030 that has been adopted during this particular summit. It also serves to give overarching guidance to both sides to expand the scope of the economic dimension of this relationship.
The discussions today also focused considerably on the proposed Free Trade Agreement that is under discussion between India and the Eurasian Economic Union, which is again expected to help address the issue of the trade deficit. It was agreed between the two sides that negotiations should be fast-tracked for early conclusion within the stipulated timelines. The terms of reference for this agreement had in fact been finalized and signed during the visit just a few weeks ago of the External Affairs Minister to Moscow. I think it was in August of this year when he had co-chaired the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, and Cultural Cooperation with Mr. Denis Manturov, the first Deputy Prime Minister of Russia. During the current visit, both sides also underscored the importance of expediting the discussions and the negotiations on the Bilateral Investment Treaty, which again will help energize investments in both directions.
In addition to this, connectivity initiatives were also discussed including the international North- South transport corridor, the eastern maritime corridor, the Chennai Vladivostok route and also cooperation along the northern sea route. These corridors again are expected to energize economic linkages, reduce transit times, and expand our trade access across Eurasia and beyond.
India - Russia defense and military technical cooperation remains robust. Russia also continues to support India's Make in India initiative in this domain including through joint production and technology transfer. This is also an area that was discussed between the two leaders.
The Prime Minister appreciated President Putin's support in expediting the opening of two new Indian consulates in Kazan and Yekaterinburg. The plaques for the two new consulates were in fact again unveiled by the External Affairs Minister during his recent visit to Russia for the SCO Heads of Government meeting. These consulates will further deepen our regional outreach in Russia and enhance trade, academic exchange, other kinds of collaboration including culture and people to people ties.
On global and multilateral issues, both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to the reform of global governance. We underlined the imperative to reform the UN Security Council to reflect contemporary realities. And our collaboration in forums where both India and Russia are members, such as the G20, BRICS and SCO, remains forward looking.
Now, President Putin also briefed Prime Minister at considerable length concerning recent developments on the conflict in Ukraine, including on the talks that are currently underway between Russian representatives and US authorities. Prime Minister reiterated India's longstanding position on this conflict, emphasizing India's interest in seeing the earliest possible cessation of hostilities, and a sustainable resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. And, you would have heard the Prime Minister's remarks during the press event earlier today. India stands ready to provide any assistance required in this effort and to play an appropriate role in this effort. The two leaders also discussed the situation in other regional hotspots around the world.
On terrorism, the two leaders reiterated their resolve to fight jointly against all forms and manifestations of terrorism and the Prime Minister reiterated India's zero tolerance stance on terrorism and President Putin reiterated Russia's support for India in this effort.
So, to conclude, I can say that the visit has helped deliver some very substantive outcomes, and the rich discussions between the two leaders have helped deepen the trust and mutual respect for each other's core national interests. As, I said earlier in my remarks, the overarching focus of this particular summit was to expand and strengthen the economic dimension of our partnership to advance towards the shared goal of reaching $100 billion dollars in bilateral trade by 2030.
The India- Russia relationship also remains an anchor for constructive engagement in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, and both our sides are committed to continue to do our part in addressing the challenges that the current environment poses for both countries.
Let me stop here, and if you have some questions, I know we have a hard stop in a short period of time, but I'll be happy to take a few questions.
Pranay Upadhyay, India Today - Aaj Tak: Foreign Secretary this is Pranay Upadhyay, from India Today - Aaj Tak. The Joint Statement mentions about the interoperability of the payment system and the currency exchange system as well in rupee-ruble trade. So what is the mechanism agreed between India and Russia to make it insulated from the Western sanctions, and how many Indian banks are ready to accept ruble as a mode of payment?
Sidhant, WION: Hi sir. So my question is, what is the geopolitical message by both Russia and India in terms of economics at a time when their country is engaging in protectionist policies?
And my second question is, we have extended the visa facility, the 30-day e-visa facility for tourists, Russian tourists. Have they also extended similar facilities for the Indian tourists?
Keshav Padmanabhan, ThePrint: Thank you, Sir. Keshav, here from ThePrint. My first question is on this irregular migration from the Mobility Pact. Is there anything in this pact that deals with the status of the Indians in the Russian army, and was that raised between the two leaders at any level?
And I just wanted a clarification from the Joint Statement. It had a line on Iran and that only through dialogue can the Iran nuclear situation be solved. And we saw that India joined the Joint Statement of the SCO condemning the strikes earlier in June on Iran. Does this signal a sort of change from the original positioning that India took in June when the strikes were taken on the Iranian nuclear facility, as India has deepened its ties with SCO and Russia in the last few months? I just wanted to check on that. Thank you.
Madhurendra, News Nation: Sir jaisa ki Joint Statement mein humne dekha ki terrorism ko ek special mention diya gaya hai. Madhurendra main News Nation se. Aur saath hi statement ke dauran bhi Pradhan Mantri ne mention kiya. Operation Sindoor jaisa ki abhi bhi on hai to kya dono Rashtraadhyaksho ne is baare mein baatcheet ki ki kaise aage terrorism ko tackle karna hai, usko lekar kya joint joint baatcheet hui? Kyuki Pahalgam hamle ka jikra to Pradhan Mantri ne kiya lekin uske thik baad Delhi mein bhi blast hua woh bhi ek bada aatanki hamla tha jismein kafi log maare gaye. Toh kya Delhi blast ko lekar bhi koi jikra hua?
[Approximate Translation: Question in Hindi] Sir, as we saw in the Joint Statement, terrorism was given a special mention. I'm Madhurendra from News Nation. And even during the press statement, the Prime Minister also referred to it. Since Operation Sindoor is still ongoing, did both Heads of State discuss how terrorism should be tackled going forward? Was there any joint conversation on this? Because the Prime Minister mentioned Pahalgam attack, but right after that there was also a blast in Delhi — that too was a major terror attack in which many people were killed. So was there any mention of the Delhi blast as well?
Kallol Bhattacharjee, The Hindu: Kallol from The Hindu sir. The Prime Minister referred to "Bharat-Roos-Mitrata ek dhruv-taara ki tarah bani rahi hai." Could you please elaborate on what is exactly the meaning of ... could you please expand on the meaning of "dhruv-taara" in this context? Is it really equivalent to Pole star or is there a strategic dimension to it that is actually here in this statement?
Shri Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary: Pranay, your question on interoperability, payments, the resort to payments in national currencies that is increasingly happening for bilateral trade... Look, both countries are continuing to work together to promote mutual trade in our national currencies. You would be aware that special Rupee Vostro accounts have been opened in significant numbers. They right now form a very effective mechanism in terms of lubricating, so to speak, the trade flows between the two countries. In terms of numbers, I do not know if I recall immediately, but I think there are close to two dozen banks that have opened a large number of these special Rupee Vostro accounts that facilitate the trade between the two countries currently.
We also hope ... as I said, one of the major objectives during this visit was to reach an understanding on how to increase Indian exports to Russia, so that we can better address the trade imbalance between the two countries. I think doing these two things together, handling the trade balance together with expanding opportunities for settlement in national currencies will allow us to move towards this particular objective.
Sidhant, your question on geopolitical messaging... Look, the India-Russia relationship, as I said, is an important relationship, not just bilaterally, but in terms of its regional as well as global significance. I have mentioned that it remains an important anchor for constructive engagement in a very complex geopolitical environment. This particular visit, as I said, its focus was on economic issues, on further building the industrial partnership, the investment partnership between the two countries.
These are issues that have actually risen to the fore in current times. If you look around the globe, supply chains are under stress. Trade relationships are under stress. Investment is becoming more and more unpredictable. Therefore, in this environment, for our two countries to focus on these issues, that is a message in itself.
On the visa facility, we have made these announcements at the present moment in order to promote Russian tourism into India. You would have probably seen the details. We have offered a 30-day e-tourist visa on gratis basis. This is on the basis of reciprocity. And we have also, I think, for the first time, started to look at group tourist visas, and that is also being done with Russia for the first time on a gratis basis.
On the question related to whether the mobility agreement has something to do with the unfortunate issue of Indian citizens being caught up in the conflict in Ukraine by way of recruitment into the Russian army. This particular agreement does not have a specific reference to that. In any case, I can share with you that this issue of the recruitment of Indian citizens into the Russian armed forces was broached by the Prime Minister, and our concerted efforts continue on a regular basis to secure the early release of Indian citizens from the Russian army.
I would just take this opportunity to reiterate once again that our citizens should avoid very, very carefully any offers to join the Russian armed forces. We are seeing several cases of people stranded there, and appealing to be rescued and brought out from there, and as I said, we are actively engaged in that effort.
On the issue of the reference to Iran, the short answer to your question is that there is no fundamental change in our position on this particular issue.
Madhu, aapka prashn tha ki Aatankwad ko leke jo aaj baatcheet hui, aur jo aatanki hamla Delhi mein hua. Aapki baat sahi hai, is vishay par khul ke baatcheet hui dono leaders ke beech. Pradhan Mantri ji ne aaj aapne dekha hoga, aapne press ke vaktavya mein bhi unhone Pahalgam mein jo aatanki hamla hua tha uska varnan kiya. Aur yeh bhi kaha ki pichhle saal Russia mein Moscow mein Crocus Hall mein jo ek aatanki hamla hua tha, in sabhi hamlon ki jad ek hai, ek jagah hai. Aur humein milkar is khatre ka saamna karna hoga. Toh is par baatcheet hui, aur jaisa maine pehle bhi kaha, Russia ki or se hamesha humein is vishay par sahara mila hai, unki sahanubhuti mili hai, unki madad mili hai. Aur humein aasha hai ki aage bhi yeh jaari rahega.
[Approximate Translation: Answer in Hindi] Madhu, your question was about the today's discussion on terrorism and the terror attack that took place in Delhi. You are right — this subject was discussed openly between the two leaders. As you would have seen, in the Prime Minister's press statement today, he also described the terrorist attack that took place in Pahalgam, and he mentioned that last year in Russia, at Moscow's Crocus Hall, there was also a terrorist attack. All these attacks have the same root, the same source, and we must face this threat together. So yes, this was discussed, and as I said earlier, Russia has always supported us on this issue — we have received their support, sympathy, and assistance — and we hope that this will continue in the future as well.
Kallol, I think, partly the answer to your question is in the translation of Dhruv Taara. But really, seriously speaking, the fact is that what the Prime Minister was trying to convey was to underline the sustained and long-term significance of this relationship. That this relationship is a constant, and it has been there over a period of time. It has been a time-tested relationship. There have been several crises along the way, but they have not affected the fundamentals of this relationship. And, the fact that today we are in a sense also observing the 25th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership, it has come a long way. There has been progress in multiple areas. So, in a sense, the sustainability, the certainty of this relationship, I think this is what the intention was in the use of that term by the Prime Minister.
Rajesh Roy, Associated Press: Good evening, Sir. I am Rajesh Roy from the Associated Press. I wanted to ask if the Russians conveyed their position on the recent US sanction on two of Moscow's biggest oil producers, Rosneft and Lukoil, which is an attempt by them to force countries like India to cut down on imports.
Secondly, did the Indian side seek expeditious delivery of S-400, the remaining two squadrons of the air defense system? Any exploration for purchase of additional units, upgrading Su-30 fleet, and purchase of advanced fighter jets like Su-57?
Sudhi Ranjan Sen, Bloomberg: Sudhi Ranjan from Bloomberg. Foreign Secretary, if you could give us an understanding whether there was any discussion on oil, and whether India and Russia, what they do about the oil trade?
And secondly, in the Joint Statement, we see an elaborate mention of the nuclear power plants on both sides, discussing a second site. If you could elaborate on that, Sir.
Akhilesh Suman, DD News: Sir, main Akhilesh Suman hoon, DD News se. Ek aam aadmi ka sawaal hai ki bahut saare Indian students jaate hain Russia mein medical ki padhai karne ke liye, aur jab ve waapas aate hain to unki degree ko maanyata to milti hai, lekin unko ek saal tak intezaar karna padta hai practice ke liye. Toh aaj health collaboration ki baat hui, academic collaboration ke liye sign kiya gaya, toh kya is issue ko bhi take up kiya gaya hai ya aage kiya jaayega ki unko yahan practice ke liye ek saal ka internship ya phir exam nahin dena pade?
[Approximate Translation: Question in Hindi] Sir, I am Akhilesh Suman from DD News. I have a common man's question: many Indian students go to Russia to study medicine, and when they return, their degrees are recognized, but they still have to wait for one year before they can practice. Today there was talk about health collaboration, and an agreement was signed for academic collaboration. So, has this issue also been taken up, or will it be taken up in the future, so that they do not have to undergo a one-year internship or an exam here before being allowed to practice?
Ayanangsha Maitra: Excellency, this is Ayanangsha Maitra. Excellency, President Putin has presented a Russian language edition of Gita. We know the history. And is there any discussion on Russian community in Mayapur in West Bengal? There is a big habitat, in fact, which hosts the largest number of Russian community in West Bengal's Nadia district in Mayapur. Is there any discussion on them, as well as any discussion on Rooppur nuclear plant in Bangladesh? Thank you.
Sumita, ET Now: Sir, this is Sumita from ET Now. I have a question, a follow-up question to what Sudhi asked essentially about the energy security. And the Prime Minister stated that this is an essential pillar of the partnership. President Putin stated that we are ready to continue uninterrupted shipments. But can you elaborate on the agreements that were reached as far as the energy security spectrum is concerned? And secondly, on your point about addressing the trade imbalance and the fact that this visit was essentially focused on economic issues, is there a near-term guidance? You spoke about a long-term guidance, but was there any near-term guidance that was given?
Shri Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary: I think, insofar as the Russian position on the sanctions that have been imposed... well, obviously, there was a discussion on what has been happening with regard to energy cooperation between the two countries. And, the Russian side put forth its position on the measures that have been taken by a number of countries. You didn't have to be inside the room to guess what that position is. It's fairly obvious.
But insofar as the discussions related to energy are concerned, and this also goes to, I think, the last question posed on the narrative on energy security, we have been fairly clear in terms of communicating that as a significant importer of energy, our priority is to ensure that 1.4 billion people in India have their energy needs secured. And our energy sourcing policies are guided entirely by this imperative. Ensuring stable energy prices and secure supplies are the twin goals of our sourcing policy. And part of this, therefore, goes into the area of diversifying energy supplies. And our partners, traditional as well as new, understand this and appreciate this.
They also appreciate that Indian companies will take, and I point to the fact that this is something that covers both private companies as well as public companies, because in both cases, these are publicly listed companies. They have fiduciary responsibilities. And therefore, these companies make decisions on the basis of evolving market dynamics on the basis of the commercial issues that they confront, while sourcing their supplies. Within the four corners of this approach, we are continuing our cooperation between the two countries.
On your other question related to various defence platforms... I think you would be aware that yesterday evening, there was a meeting between the defence ministers of the two countries in the framework of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Military and Technical Cooperation. I don't have the details or readout of that particular meeting, but I imagine that these issues that you referred to were discussed in that meeting. Between the Prime Minister and President, as I said in my earlier remarks, there was a general discussion on the robustness and the long-standing nature of the India-Russia Defence and Military-Technical Cooperation and the fact that Russia is also participating in several Make-in-India defence related programmes. And a lot of the focus was on, in fact, legacy cooperation between the two countries. But for the specifics, I think you would have to refer to the discussions yesterday that took place between the two delegations of the Ministries of Defence of the two countries.
Sudhi, insofar as your question related to oil is concerned, I think I have already answered. On the nuclear power project, as you are aware, actually, there was a considerable amount of discussion on nuclear-related issues between the two leaders. Kudankulam 1 and 2, as you are aware, are already connected to the National Grid, generating electricity. Work is currently underway on Units 3 to 6, where, in fact, a number of the critical shipments with regard to Units 3 and 4 are underway. And work to conclude agreements for similar things with respect to Units 5 and 6 is already also proceeding in parallel.
When it comes to the second site, this is an issue that has been under discussion between the two countries for some time now. As you are aware, selection of a site for a nuclear power plant is an elaborate and complicated exercise that has to take into account various factors related to siting, including environmental and other related factors. These are all under consideration of the concerned authorities in the Department of Atomic Energy. We will update you whenever there is a further development with regard to this.
Akhilesh, aapne medical students ke baare mein jo sawal poocha hai, jahan tak meri jaankaari hai, Russia mein jo hamare ... kisi bhi videshi mulk mein hamare vidyarthi jab padhne jaate hain jab medicine ki padhai ke liye jaate hain... toh unhe vahan degree milti hai. Lekin Bharat mein as a medical professional practice karne se pehle, unhe ek imtihan pass karna hota hai jise FMGE kehte hain, Foreign Medical Graduates Examination. Aur National Medical Council NMC jo hai Bharat ki ye is imtihan ko is pariksha ko conduct karti hai. Aur ye hamari requirement hai. Ye Bharat ki regulatory requirement hai ki bahar se jo log padh ke aaye unke liye ek hamare regulatory standards ko ye students meet kar sake uske liye imtihan zaroori hai. Iska Russia ke sath koi lena dena nahi hai kyunki ye sabhi deshon ke liye hai. Kisi bhi desh mein bahar se koi vidyarthi padh ke aaye medicine ki padhai karke aaye usko wapas aake ye imtihan dena hi hoga. Toh isme aisi koi specifically roos ko leke koi provision nahi hai.
[Approximate Translation: Answer in Hindi] Akhilesh, regarding the question you asked about medical students — as far as I know, when our students go to Russia or to any foreign country to study medicine, they do receive a degree there. But before they can practice in India as medical professionals, they must pass an examination called the FMGE — the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination. This exam is conducted by the National Medical Council (NMC) of India, and it is our requirement. It is India's regulatory requirement that students who study abroad must meet our regulatory standards, and for that, this examination is necessary. This has nothing to do with Russia specifically; it applies to all countries. Wherever a student studies medicine abroad, after returning to India, they must take this exam. So, there is no special provision related to Russia in this matter.
I really don't have anything on this issue, related to the Russian community in West Bengal. Actually, I have learned something today. I wasn't aware that there was one. Okay, but no, this did not come up in the discussions today. But I'm sure that the Ambassador will probably look into it in much greater detail and probably see where we are.
You asked about Rooppur. There is ongoing collaboration on Rooppur, work is continuing on that. And we remain in touch with both our partners in Russia, as well as in Bangladesh, on taking forward the work that needs to be done on this.
And finally, Sumita, I think the energy security part I answered, but on trade imbalance, in so far as the near term is concerned, I think it might interest you to know that in the recent past, as a response to the stresses that we have faced on several other fronts, we have, of course, engaged with various partners on looking for new markets, new consumers, etc. We have done the same with Russia.
And in fact, in a very positive and I would say gratifying development, there are several sectors primarily related to fisheries, if I am not mistaken, the maritime - marine products, and agricultural and horticultural products, that we have seen new markets being developed. There was a reference to this fact today, that there was uptake of Indian exports in a very short period of time, in terms of the requests being made and the orders being placed and the exports actually being realized. And there was encouragement to take this further. And in fact, the Russian side said that they would be ready to look at other products. In fact, there was a reference that, you know, if we were able to export these products in large quantities to many other parts of the world, there was no reason why they could not be exported to Russia as well.
So, short-term guidance, if you will, was for exporters to connect more intimately with each other and explore opportunities. And that is also what the forum this afternoon was all about in terms of getting the importers and exporters together to explore these very opportunities.
Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: Well, thank you very much. With that, we come to the close of this session. Thank you for your presence, ladies and gentlemen.
New Delhi
December 05, 2025
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