Putin’s India visit: S-400, Su-57 jets, small reactors and trade reset on packed summit agenda

Putin’s December 4–5 India visit will see talks on S-400, Su-57 jets, energy, nuclear projects, trade in national currencies and fixing the Russia–India trade imbalance.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to India on December 4–5 for the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit, with the Kremlin signalling a packed agenda spanning defence hardware, energy cooperation, trade in national currencies and nuclear projects.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told ANI that Moscow is 'proud to have been shoulder to shoulder' with India during its 'historic growth', describing the partnership as rooted in 'a deep historic background of mutual understanding' and a shared view of global affairs based on international law.

Beyond the optics, the visit will test how far both sides are willing to go in upgrading a legacy relationship at a time when India is diversifying defence supplies and Russia is doubling down on large emerging markets.

Defence: S-400, Su-57 and the BrahMos template

On the defence side, Peskov made it clear that additional S-400 long-range air-defence systems are likely to feature in the talks.

“Highly on the agenda and this could be discussed,” he told ANI, adding that Russian systems account for “36 percent in Indian armed forces and hopefully will continue”.

Russia also intends to formally pitch the Su-57, its fifth-generation stealth fighter, for India.

“Su-57 is the best plane in the world. Su-57 will be on the agenda,” Peskov said, signalling that Moscow wants New Delhi back in a fifth-gen fighter conversation after the earlier FGFA project stalled.

Peskov highlighted the BrahMos cruise missile joint venture as the model Russia wants to replicate: “It’s not only just production or acts of buying or selling, it’s exchange of high technologies… it really paves the way for a bright future in this field of cooperation.”

Earlier, at the Dubai 2025 air show, a senior Rosoboronexport official said Russia was offering India both licence production of air weapons and staged localisation of the Su-57, including technology transfer in engines, optics, AESA radar, low-signature design, AI elements and modern air-launched weapons. He also said Moscow was willing to jointly develop a two-seat Su-57E variant.

Taken together, the signals suggest Russia will use the Delhi summit to argue that it is still willing to put serious technology on the table, not just sell finished kit.

Energy and nuclear: crude, Kudankulam and small reactors

Energy security remains another central pillar.

Peskov said Russia “continues to be a very important supplier of energy sources to India at competitive prices” and called the trade 'of great benefit for India' and 'of mutual benefit' overall.

He underlined Moscow’s role in building India’s civilian nuclear sector through the Kudankulam project and said Russia is hoping for 'continuation of this project'.

On what could be a new strand, Peskov flagged the possibility of an agreement around small modular reactors.

“There will be an offer for small reactors. Russia possesses important tech [for] small and flexible reactors. Russia has real experience in producing small reactors,” he told ANI, positioning it as part of joint efforts to 'secure the future' energy needs of both countries.

Trade and currencies: fixing the imbalance

On trade, Peskov was unusually blunt about the structural problem: Russia sells much more to India than it buys, largely because of discounted oil and defence exports.

“We are aware that we’re selling much more than we buy from India. And we know that our Indian friends are concerned about that,” he said.

To address this, he announced that an importers’ forum will be held during Putin’s visit, aimed at identifying specific Indian goods and services Russia can purchase.

“We want to buy more from India… we’re working together with our Indian counterparts in order to find ways to increase the amount of goods that we can purchase from India, not only goods but maybe services,” Peskov said.

He also stressed that “nearly all” bilateral trade is now settled in national currencies, calling it crucial to shield economic ties from “third countries”.

“We have to organise our trade… in the way that cannot be affected by third countries,” he said. “Thus we’re securing our trade, we’re securing our sovereignty of both countries.”

For India, that combination, more market access in Russia plus local-currency settlement, could matter to exporters in sectors like pharma, agro products, machinery, services and IT, even as it complicates relations with Western partners watching de-dollarisation trends.

Strategic messaging and terrorism

Peskov framed the political relationship as more than “standard diplomatic protocols and trade agreements”, stressing convergences at the UN and on “a mutual vision of global affairs”.

“We are in very close dialogue with our Indian friends in international affairs based on the United Nations,” he said, adding that Moscow and Delhi “really correspond in lots of [the] majority of fields”.

He also condemned the recent blasts in Delhi and linked the visit to a wider counter-terrorism agenda.

“We condemn terrorism and our country has suffered a lot. We know the pain of losing people. India has faced this threat many times and we condemn terrorism. Only way to combat terrorism is to have international cooperation,” he said.