MOSCOW, August 29. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 1 to discuss the Russian leader's planned visit to India in December, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said on Friday.
"Right after the SCO Plus meeting [on September 1], our president will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Ushakov told journalists. "It will be their first meeting this year, although they have been regularly in touch over the phone."
"Our countries are bound by a special strategic partnership," he continued. "A relevant statement in this regard was passed in December 2010, which means that this year marks 15 years since that event."
"What is especially important is that preparations will be discussed for the upcoming visit of our president to India in December," Ushakov added.
The Russian official pointed out that the leaders of the two countries agreed several years ago to hold meetings in person every year.
"This year, in December, we will be making a visit to New Delhi," Ushakov said.
The Kremlin aide recalled that Putin had recently hosted Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced earlier in the week that Putin’s visit to China, which he said is going to be completely unprecedented, begins on August 31.
The Russian leader will attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tianjin before traveling to Beijing to take part in festivities marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the War against Japanese Aggression. Also, the Russian president is expected to hold a number of bilateral meetings.