As India prepares to welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin, the delegation expected to arrive in New Delhi is said to be in high spirits. Anticipation was high in Russia as officials struggled with the number of applications to be included in the delegation.
Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the president, told reporters in Moscow that the number of applicants exceeded protocol limits due to intense interest in cooperation. “Frankly speaking, we had to cut corners and eliminate some of those willing to participate, because the interest in cooperation with India is, one might say, enormous,” the Kremlin spokesman said.
According to Ushakov, despite significant interest from many parties, Russia will adhere to the protocol recommendations provided by New Delhi.
He added that the delegation will include representatives of major businesses, naming Rosneft, Sberbank, VTB and the Russian Fertilizer Producers Association.
It was also decided to include the heads of several media outlets in the delegation, among them Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Rossiya Segodnya media group.
The visit will commence with an official breakfast hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in honour of Putin’s visit. There will also be a concert in honour of the president. Official talks between the two sides will take place on Friday, followed later by a personal meeting between Putin and the Indian president and a large state reception.
