Moscow/New Delhi | Dec 4, 2025 | Sky Link Times
Hours ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s arrival in India, a rare throwback image from November 2001 has gone viral on social media, revealing an important milestone in India–Russia relations — Putin was the first international leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi met during his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat. The photograph, from late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s official visit to Russia, showcases the early roots of a strategic partnership that has grown significantly over the past two decades.
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Historic 2001 Moscow Visit with Vajpayee
The image originates from November 2001, when PM Vajpayee undertook a State Visit to Russia at President Putin’s invitation. During the visit, Modi — then newly appointed Gujarat Chief Minister — was present as key documents were signed between the two countries, including the Moscow Declaration on International Terrorism.
During this landmark visit, Modi also signed the Protocol of Cooperation between the Astrakhan Region of the Russian Federation and the State of Gujarat, alongside then Astrakhan Governor Anatoly Guzhvin, marking Gujarat’s first formal regional partnership with Russia.
Modi’s 2018 Sochi Reflection on First Putin Meeting
Reflecting on the 2001 interaction years later in Sochi in May 2018, Prime Minister Modi himself described the moment as the beginning of his international political journey.
> “In 2001, when I served as Chief Minister of Gujarat, I made my first visit to Russia with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. And you were the first international leader I met as Chief Minister. Moscow and you yourself marked the beginning of my career,” Modi had recalled.
The visit was executed under the framework of annual summit meetings, established through the India–Russia Strategic Partnership Declaration signed in October 2000.
Strategic Partnership That Redefined Bilateral Ties
The Declaration on Strategic Partnership, signed on October 3, 2000, by PM Vajpayee and President Putin, elevated India–Russia relations to a new level. It laid the foundation for:
Coordinated approaches to global peace and security
Strategic engagement on regional challenges
Deep cooperation in defence, economy, education, culture, and energy
Since then, the two nations have expanded ties to areas including space, nuclear energy, defence manufacturing, and trade.
Putin Praises India’s Growth Under Modi
President Putin has repeatedly highlighted the momentum India–Russia ties gained after Modi assumed office as Prime Minister in 2014. During a September 2024 meeting with NSA Ajit Doval in Saint Petersburg, Putin remarked:
> “Our special privileged strategic partnership is gaining momentum. We are also happy about India’s success in strengthening its economy under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.”
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Russia’s Highest Honour for PM Modi
In July 2024, President Putin conferred Russia’s highest civilian award — the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called — on PM Modi at the Grand Kremlin Palace.
Calling Modi his “good friend,” Putin said the honour reflected Russia’s gratitude for Modi’s role in strengthening ties between the two nations.
A Relationship Rooted in Trust and Continuity
The resurfaced 2001 Moscow photograph powerfully reflects the long-standing personal and diplomatic continuity between India and Russia. What began as a first international meeting for a newly appointed Gujarat Chief Minister has evolved into one of the world’s most stable strategic partnerships.
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