Russian President Vladimir Putin will be on a two-day visit to India on December 4 and 5, with both sides set to deepen cooperation in education, culture and people-to-people exchanges. The 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit will review progress across universities, cultural institutions and tourism, and outline future areas of collaboration.
According to the Indian Embassy in Moscow, in the field of education, cooperation between India and Russia is longstanding and multifaceted. Nearly 20,000 Indian students currently study in Russian institutions, particularly in medicine, engineering, economics and the sciences, with medical students forming the largest cohort. Indology, along with Indian languages such as Hindi, Sanskrit and Pali, is taught in several Russian universities. At the school level, India’s Atal Innovation Mission and Russia’s SIRIUS Center continue joint activities under an initiative envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Putin.
Collaboration in higher education is advanced through institutional frameworks such as the Educational Exchange Programme (EEP), the Network of Higher Education Institutions of India and Russia (RIN), the Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) and the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN). Russia also remains an active partner under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, with Russian nationals participating in various training courses each year, the Embassy said.
Cultural relations between India and Russia are deep-rooted, with historical ties dating back to the 15th century—from Afanasy Nikitin’s travels to the contributions of cultural figures such as Nicholas Roerich and Gerasim Lebedev. Generations of Russians grew up watching Indian cinema, and yoga has enjoyed widespread popularity since the 1980s. The Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre (JNCC) in Moscow, established in 1989, continues to serve as a key institution promoting Indian culture through classes in Kathak, yoga, tabla and Hindustani vocal music, along with academic collaborations, the Embassy added.
Under the Cultural Exchange Programme and the ICCR–Russian Ministry of Culture Protocol, Indian troupes visit Russia regularly. In 2023, five groups performed across multiple regions, showcasing classical and folk traditions including Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Rajasthani folk dance and the Warrior Women of India production. ICCR also offers several scholarship schemes for Russian nationals pursuing studies in Indian arts, humanities, sciences and Ayurveda.
Cultural engagement gained further momentum earlier this year when Russia’s Minister of Culture, Olga Lyubimova, visited Mumbai in May 2025 for the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit, where she met India’s Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to discuss cooperation in cinematography.
According to the Indian Embassy in Moscow, People-to-people ties continue to grow, supported by streamlined e-visa regimes and rising tourist flows in both directions. Several Indians have also been honoured with Russian state awards for strengthening political, cultural and scientific ties.
The previous India–Russia Summit, held in Moscow in July 2024, reaffirmed the depth of cultural and educational engagement between the two sides. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) underlined strong cooperation between universities, museums, theatres and cultural institutions, alongside successful implementation of the 2021–24 Cultural Exchange Programme, the Festival of Indian Culture across eight Russian cities in 2023 and the Festival of Russian Culture in India in 2024. It also highlighted increased youth engagement through India’s participation in the Sochi World Youth Festival and the BRICS Games, rising tourism exchanges supported by e-visas, and ongoing collaborations to promote the Russian language in India and Indian languages in Russia.
Additionally, the sides agreed to establish a Working Group on higher education under the India–Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC).
Notably, Putin also conferred Russia’s highest national honour—the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle—on Prime Minister Modi at a ceremony in the Kremlin’s St. Andrew Hall on July 9, 2024. PM Modi dedicated the award to the people of India and the enduring friendship between the two nations, noting that the honour reflected the depth of their Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
Putin’s upcoming visit is expected to reinforce these longstanding partnerships and open new avenues of cooperation in the years ahead.
