New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel in the heavily armored luxury car Aurus Senat when he arrives in New Delhi on Thursday evening. The Aurus Senat, brought from Moscow, is already in New Delhi for Putin’s India visit. Russian President Putin rode in the Senat car with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China earlier this year.
The Aurus Senat is President Putin’s official car and is part of the “Cortege” project, a Russian program that develops domestically produced luxury and armored vehicles for government use.
In addition to the Aurus Senat, approximately 50 top Russian security officials arrived in Delhi two days ago to protect Putin. According to security officials familiar with Putin’s visit, Russian security officials have already ensured security at the locations Putin will visit during his two-day visit to India.
According to an official, tight security arrangements have been made in Delhi from President Putin’s arrival to his return, with multiple security agencies monitoring every inch of the area. “We are coordinating every minute movement in real time,” an official said.
This is Putin’s first visit to India since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war. Putin will arrive in New Delhi at 7 p.m. and will then meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a private dinner hosted in his honor at Police Station 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. On Friday, Putin will receive a ceremonial welcome at the grounds in front of Rashtrapati Bhavan, where he will be presented with a tri-services guard of honor at around 11 a.m. He will then proceed to Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at around 11:30 a.m.
At 11:50 a.m., Modi and Putin will hold the 23rd India-Russia Summit at Hyderabad House. It will discuss various aspects of India-Russia relations, including defense, energy, trade, technology, space, and strategic cooperation. The two leaders will also issue a joint statement following the meeting.
Russian President Putin is also expected to attend an event organized by FICCI at the Bharat Mandapam. President Draupadi Murmu will also host a state banquet in Putin’s honor. Russian President Putin will depart late Friday evening.
Mixed Reactions from Political Parties
Meanwhile, Russian President Putin’s visit to India received mixed reactions from political parties. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “The 23rd annual summit between the President of Russia and the Prime Minister of India begins today in the last 26 years. These relations are even older.” Ramesh said that India-Russia relations are a direct result and extension of the Indo-Soviet partnership first established in 1955.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, former MP and CPI(M) Central Committee member Hannan Mollah said that Putin’s visit will further strengthen ties between the two countries. He said, “However, this visit is for bilateral relations between the two countries, nothing more. India is giving more importance to the Russian President’s visit due to US pressure.”
Putin’s 30-hour visit to India comes at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and New Delhi. The US has imposed tariffs on India and threatened sanctions over India’s strong historical ties with Russia and its increased purchases of Russian crude oil during the Ukraine war.
