New Delhi:
​​​​​Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Delhi on a rain-drenched evening on Thursday for the annual India-Russia Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was given a warm welcome by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at the airport.
Putin, accompanied by a high-level delegation, is on a two-day visit to India to hold the 19th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit with Modi. The summit will be held in Delhi on Friday. During the summit, the two leaders are expected to sign a $5 billion deal on S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft missile systems.
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Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives for his two-day visit to India. He was received by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. pic.twitter.com/sNUWyS1ZkJ
— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2018
"Long standing and time-tested friendship. Upon his arrival in India for the #IndiaRussia Annual Bilateral Summit, @KremlinRussia_E Vladimir Putin was warmly received by EAM @SushmaSwaraj #DruzbaDosti," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.
Modi and Putin are expected to review bilateral defence cooperation in the wake of the US sanctions against Russian defence majors.
#WATCH: Russian President #VladimirPutin meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. He is on a two-day visit to India. pic.twitter.com/HlvfOGsEcQ
— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2018
Read More | India-Russia Summit: Putin arrives in Delhi, likely to sign S-400 missile deal with India
"The key feature of this visit will be the signing of the agreement to deliver S-400 air defence systems" to India, news agency AFP had quoted Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov as saying earlier.
The S-400 Triumf is a Russian anti-air system which can shoot down ballistic missiles at a range of 60km (37 miles).
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After signing of the deal, the Indian Air Force will receive the first S-400 squadron within 24 months. The rest will be delivered within the next four to five years, sources said.
Other top agenda of the bilateral summit includes talks on US sanctions on the import of Iranian crude oil and other regional and global issues.
