Aarti, 'India'-Russia Friendship March' in Varanasi ahead of Putin's visit

A group in Varanasi on Thursday organised an "India-Russia Friendship March" to welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his arrival in India for the annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Varanasi is the Lok Sabha constituency of PM Modi since 2014. Putin's India visit will be limited to the national capital only.

The march here, organised by the Vishal Bharat Sansthan, began from Subhash Bhavan and concluded at the Munshi Premchand Smriti Gate.

Participants carried posters of Modi and Putin and raised slogans — "Bharat-Russia sambandh zindabad", "Bharat-Russia ki dosti" and "World needs India-Russia friendship".

Supporters performed aarti before Putin's photograph and played traditional drums, describing the visit as the arrival of an honoured guest.

Vishal Bharat Sansthan's national president, Rajeev ShriGuruji, said India and Russia were "natural friends" who stood by each other in difficult times.

"Modi and Putin are global leaders committed to safeguarding democracy, borders and sovereignty. Together, India and Russia will lead the world on the path of peace," he said, adding that the Russian president's visit signalled "global transformation".

Organisation's national general secretary Dr Archana Bharatvanshi said the ties between the two countries would benefit Indian youth, particularly in technical and medical education.

Dr Najma Parveen, national president of the Muslim Women Foundation, said Putin's visit would "write a new chapter in history" and expressed hope that the visit would strengthen bilateral friendship and contribute to global peace.

Putin is arriving in New Delhi on Thursday for a nearly 28-hour visit during which he will hold the 23rd India-Russia summit with Prime Minister Modi. The agenda includes boosting defence cooperation, insulating bilateral trade from external pressure and discussions on energy ties, small modular reactors and the impact of Western sanctions on oil trade.

Modi will host a private dinner for Putin on Thursday and a working luncheon on Friday, while the Russian leader is also scheduled to visit Rajghat and attend a state banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu.

Both sides are expected to ink several agreements across trade, defence and labour mobility, amid global attention on the Ukraine conflict and India's call for dialogue and diplomacy.