On Dec. 5, before the beginning of the 23rd Russia-India Annual Summit in India, host Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his personal tribute to Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the driving force for a quarter-century for the improvement in Indian-Russian relations. Modi stated: “President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India is taking place at a time marked by several historical dates in our relations. President Putin laid the groundwork for our strategic cooperation 25 years ago, and 15 years ago, in 2010, we upgraded our partnership to the level of a special privileged strategic partnership.
“Over the past 25 years, President Putin has been relentless in promoting these relations by demonstrating his wise leadership and vision. Regardless of the circumstances, it is his leadership that has reinforced our mutual relations and enabled us to achieve new heights.
