Amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave here on Monday on an official visit to Russia to hold the 22nd Annual India-Russia Summit with President Vladimir Putin.

From Moscow, the PM will leave for Austria in what will be the first visit by an Indian PM to the European nation after 41 years.

That Mr Modi has chosen to visit Moscow on his first foreign trip after becoming the PM for the third time reflects the importance India attaches to its time-tested friendship with Russia.

The Indian leader will reach Moscow tomorrow afternoon. He will be welcomed with a private dinner to be hosted by President Putin. Among other engagements the next day, Mr Modi will have an interface with the Indian community in Russia. He will also pay respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers in the Kremlin and visit an exhibition in Moscow. This will be followed by his restricted talks with President Putin and delegation-level talks between the two countries.

A whole range of issues, including defence, trade linkages, culture, education, civil nuclear cooperation, culture and people-to-people contacts, will be on the agenda. They will also discuss global developments.

Given the personal chemistry between the two leaders, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict is likely to figure prominently during the Modi-Putin meeting. The PM is expected to reiterate India’s stand that this is not the time for war and that the two warring nations must give dialogue and diplomacy a chance to resolve the crisis.

The talks between the two leaders will also provide Mr Modi an opportunity to raise with Mr Putin the issue of Indian nationals who were misled into the Russian Army to join its ongoing war with Ukraine.

According to Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, while ten Indians have returned home, an estimated 30-45 Indian nationals are still working for the Russian Army. He said India has strongly taken up with the Russian authorities the issue of their early repatriation to India.

The PM’s visit to Moscow marks a continuation of high-level engagement between India and Russia. “The last annual summit was held in New Delhi in December 2021,” Mr Kwatra said, adding that the two leaders have maintained contact through various means, including a meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand last September and multiple phone conversations.

The India-Russia Summit is being held at a time when India is under intense pressure from its Western allies to minimise its contacts with Russia in view of its ”aggression” against Ukraine.

After concluding the Moscow leg of his tour, Mr Modi will reach Austria in the afternoon of July 9. He will call on President Alexander Van der Bellen and hold talks with Chancellor Karl Nehammer. The PM and the Chancellor will also address business leaders from India and Austria. Mr Modi will also interact with members of the Indian community in Vienna.

Meanwhile, Mr Modi said here on Sunday that it would be a “historic occasion” and an honour for him to visit Austria for the first time next week, which will coincide with 75 years of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations between both countries.

“Thank you, Chancellor @karlnehammer. It is indeed an honour to visit Austria to mark this historic occasion. I look forward to our discussions on strengthening the bonds between our nations and exploring new avenues of cooperation. The shared values of democracy, freedom and rule of law form the bedrock upon which we will build an ever closer partnership,” the PM wrote on X.

His response came after the Austrian Chancellor on Saturday described PM Modi’s upcoming maiden visit to the country as a “significant milestone” and said it is an opportunity to deliberate on closer collaboration on “many geopolitical challenges”.