New Delhi, 5 December (H.S.):

Russian President Vladimir Putin paid solemn homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on Friday morning, laying a wreath and signing the visitors' book at the memorial complex following a ceremonial guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi received him at the presidential palace, marking key protocol events in his 28-hour state visit that began with Modi's personal airport welcome and private dinner on Thursday evening.

Putin and Modi are set to arrive shortly at Hyderabad House for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, where bilateral talks will focus on defence ties, trade imbalances, energy cooperation, and new pacts in healthcare, fisheries, and labour mobility.

Expectations include a strategic economic roadmap to 2030, progress on a free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union, and deals shielding transactions from external pressures like U.S. sanctions on Russian oil imports.

Pre-summit engagements underscored robust ties: Defence Ministers Rajnath Singh and Andrei Belousov reaffirmed military collaboration, while business forums highlighted pharma exports and Arctic shipbuilding.

European envoys have privately urged India to press Putin on ending the Ukraine war, viewing New Delhi's influence as pivotal.

Putin will depart around 9 PM after a joint press conference and business leaders' meet.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar