Russian President Vladimir Putin Concludes India Visit, Engages with Hotel Staff and Signs Key Agreements with PM Modi

New Delhi/Moscow, Dec 2025 : Russian President Vladimir Putin wrapped up his landmark two-day visit to India on Friday evening with a warm gesture that caught media attention. Just before leaving the Indian capital, Putin posed for photographs with several staff members at the hotel where he stayed, a moment widely shared by Russian media.

According to Tass, Russia’s leading news agency, the Russian President “couldn’t refuse some of the staff at the Indian hotel where he was staying during his state visit and posed for a photo with them.” The video, posted on a journalist’s Telegram channel, shows Putin smiling and posing alongside hotel employees, who were reportedly overjoyed to receive the photographs. “After posing for a group photo with the hotel representatives, the Russian leader responded to their grateful cries with an appropriate response and bid farewell,” the report noted.

Earlier on Friday, a state reception was hosted by Indian President Droupadi Murmu in honor of the Russian leader, highlighting the significance of his visit. During the day, President Putin expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the warm hospitality extended to the Russian delegation. He said that he had established “close working and personal contact” with the Indian Prime Minister and emphasized that the two leaders “constantly monitor the development of Russian-Indian cooperation in all its strategic areas.”

Speaking after the extensive talks at Hyderabad House during the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, Putin said, “The talks we just concluded with our Indian colleagues, as well as our conversation last night with Mr. Modi in a one-on-one format at his home over dinner, were very useful and took place in a constructive and friendly atmosphere, in the spirit of the especially privileged partnership between Russia and India.”

The two leaders reviewed the full spectrum of India-Russia relations, reaffirming their mutual commitment to strengthening the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. They discussed regional and global issues of shared interest and “deeply and thoroughly examined” multifaceted cooperation between the two nations.

Putin highlighted the outcomes of the visit, stating, “The joint statement we adopted with Mr. Modi outlined priority objectives for further strengthening ties in politics and security, economics, trade, humanitarian affairs, and culture. As you have seen, a substantial package of intergovernmental, interdepartmental, and corporate agreements was also signed.”

The agreements witnessed by the leaders included several MoUs covering areas such as Trade and Commerce, Migration and Mobility, Maritime Cooperation, Health and Food Safety, Fertilizers, Academic Exchanges, Media Cooperation, and initiatives to enhance People-to-People ties. These agreements are expected to further consolidate the strategic partnership between the two countries and open new avenues for collaboration across multiple sectors.

The visit underscored the enduring and multifaceted nature of India-Russia relations, reflecting a commitment from both nations to deepen cooperation and address global and regional challenges together. Putin’s personal interactions, such as with the hotel staff, added a human touch to a visit marked by high-level diplomacy and significant agreements.