Modi to visit Moscow next week as Kremlin says ‘all issues on the agenda’

CNN —

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Moscow next week for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine, a sign of the growing relationship between the two countries even as New Delhi maintains strong ties with the United States.

Modi will be in Moscow on July 8 and 9 at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, India’s Ministry of External Affairs announced, adding they would “exchange views on contemporary regional and global issues of mutual interest.”

Modi’s plans for the trip were first reported last month by Russian state media, citing Kremlin officials.

India remains heavily reliant on the Kremlin for its military equipment – a vital link given India’s ongoing tensions at its shared Himalayan border with China – and has ramped up purchases of discounted Russian crude oil, giving Putin’s nation a major financial lifeline as it faces isolation from the West.

Modi’s visit is widely seen as the latest dent in efforts by Western leaders to cast Putin aside.

India’s ties with Russia date back decades to the Cold War and have remained strong despite repeated sanctions on Moscow from Western governments.

New Delhi has repeatedly abstained from votes condemning Russia at the United Nations Security Council and has avoided public criticism of Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana, Kazakhstan on July 3, 2024.

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Confirmation of Modi’s visit comes as Russia draws ever closer to China, potentially making New Delhi uncomfortable due to its